Warning Signs:The Child Victim
Warning Signs: The Child Victim (Excerpted from "Sexual Predator: How to Identify Registered and Unregistered Sex Offenders") by Robert Scott, P.I. Children who have been sexually abused may harbor the abuse as a secret out of fear or embarrassment. There are many warning signs that a child may have been victimized. Here are some of the most important ones: • Dramatic, unexplained changes in the child’s behavior ranging from sudden aggressiveness to withdrawal. Excessive crying and fear of specific people or places should also be noted. • In younger children, bed-wetting, nightmares and fear of being left alone are warning signs. Regression to infantile behavior, such as thumb-sucking, should be noted. A sudden interest in sexual matters is a further warning sign. This could be manifested as talk about sex organs that is beyond the child’s current stage of development. Attempts by the child to fondle him or herself, or peers is another warning sign. Any unexplained genital injury or venereal disease is, of course, an obvious warning sign that must be investigated further. • In teenagers, warning signs can include drug and alcohol abuse, depression, delinquency and suicidal thoughts and actions. http://www.crimetime.com/restricted/bonusabuse.htm