Recognizing child maltreatment

Here you will find the answers to the following questions:

  • What are the types of child abuse?
  • General signs of abuse
  • Signs of physical abuse
  • Signs of emotional maltreatment
  • Signs of sexual abuse
  • Signs of neglect
  • What to do if you recognize signs of abuse or neglect in a studen

Disclaimer: Why is this important for parents?

First of all, it is great that you are here – it means you care! But why is it so important for you as a parent to get information on this topic? In general, as a parent you are probably in touch with other families, children and their parents or caregivers. We want to encourage you to keep your eyes and ears open for signs of abuse (see below), because you are most likely to notice if something is off, e.g. with a friend of your child.

My family is/might be affected

As child abuse often occurs inside the home, we feel it is necessary to address this as well. So, if child abuse occurred or still takes place within your family (or if you are not sure), please seek help from outside. In such cases parents may be overburdened with a lot of things, they were victims themselves or they lack the support other families have. They may also feel ashamed or tell themselves that things are not that bad, but really, any kind of child abuse is harmful to a child and your relationship (see below to help recognizing child abuse and typical parental behaviors).

Child abuse is not necessarily just physical violence directed at a child or adolescent. It includes any type of maltreatment by an adult that is violent or threatening for the minor including neglect.

One can distinguish between different types of child abuse, namely physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse, which often occur at the same time. They are going to be explained in the following:

Get help

What are the types of child abuse?

Child abuse is not necessarily just physical violence directed at a child or adolescent. It includes any type of maltreatment by an adult that is violent or threatening for the minor including neglect.

One can distinguish between different types of child abuse, namely physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse, which often occur at the same time. They are going to be explained in the following:

Physical abuse is any nonaccidental physical harm to a child caused by a parent or other adult caregiver.
Neglect involves the failure to provide for a child’s basic needs, including adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education, and supervision. Abandonment can also be considered as a type of neglect.
Sexual abuse is defined as any sexual act performed on, with or in front of a child or adolescent against their will or to which they are not able to knowingly give their consent.
Emotional abuse involves actions or words from caregivers or other significant adults that harm a child’s self-esteem or emotional well-being. This includes things like constant criticism, yelling, ignoring the child’s needs, or isolating them socially.

General signs of abuse

A child who’s being abused may feel confused, ashamed, or even guilty. The child might therefore be afraid to tell anyone about the abuse, especially if the abuser is someone you know such as a relative or family friend. Consequently, it is essential to recognize signs of maltreatment although these signs may not always be obvious.
Note that a single sign does not necessarily mean that your child is being abused as there could be other things happening that might affect their personality or behavior. However, it is advisable to keep an eye out for repeated occurrences or a combination of a variety of indications.

In general, signs that a child is being abused may vary depending on the type of abuse. In the following, we will provide you with some common warning signals that might indicate that something alarming is happening in a student’s life.

Please keep in mind that the following lists are not exhaustive

  • anxiousness, this may also include unusual fears
  • persistent sadness, bad mood, hopelessness, negative thoughts
  • sudden and unexplained changes in behavior, personality, or school performance
  • inexplicable problems to concentrate
  • sleep problems and nightmares
  • aggression or rebellious behavior
  • running away
  • going missing
  • wearing clothes that cover their whole body even when it is warm outside
  • self-harm or suicide attempts
  • secluding themselves or being very passive/ withdrawal from friends
  • lacking social skills
  • having no or very few friends
  • avoiding being around a certain person
  • knowing of adult issues, they are too young for
  • being overly watchful or cautious
  • expressing that they are being abused

The following list provides guidance on potential signs that indicate various types of abuse.

A student showing the following signs may be a victim of physical abuse:

  • inexplicable injuries including bruises, burns, marks, bites, broken bones, and black eyes (especially after being absent from school)
  • aggressiveness
  • anxiousness
  • being seemingly depressed or withdrawn
  • shrinking when being confronted with adults
  • changes in eating behavior
  • opening up about injuries caused by another person

A child showing the following signs may be a victim of emotional maltreatment:

  • not being able to form emotional bonds with others
  • persistent sadness, bad mood, hopelessness, negative thoughts
  • reporting suicidal thoughts
  • loss of self-confidence or self-esteem
  • delay in emotional or physical development
  • desperately seeking affection
  • aggressiveness
  • avoidance of certain situations (e.g. refusing to go to school or ride the bus)
  • extreme passiveness

A student showing the following signs may be a victim of sexual abuse:

  • not wanting to attend school for seemingly no apparent reason
  • having trouble walking/sitting
  • changes in eating behavior/ losing their appetite
  • going missing/running away
  • talking about nightmares or bedwetting
  • forming very quick attachment to strangers
  • pregnancy (especially under the age of 14)
  • demonstrating unusual and age-inappropriate knowledge/behavior
  • having trouble concentrating in class
  • physical problems caused by emotional stress
  • stating that they are being sexually abused by a parent or adult caregiver

If you notice some of these behaviors in other parents or maybe in yourself, you should stay attentive if any other signs of abuse come up.

The parent or adult caregiver…

  • uses harsh physical discipline (starting with a slap)
  • shows little concern or ignores the child (if it needs help)
  • talks about or to the child negatively (using words like “evil” or “worthless”)
  • cuts the child off from others
  • uses the child for personal gain (e.g. attention)
  • tries to avert suspicion by making (unconvincing) excuses (in case of visible injuries)
  • has extremely high expectations that the child has to fulfill

What parents can do

There are some essential steps you can take to protect your child from exploitation, neglect and prevent child abuse in your neighborhood or community. The aim is to provide safe, stable, caring relationships for children.

Here are some tips on how you can help keeping your child healthy and safe:

Be loving towards your child and give them attention. Being involved in your child’s life, listening to them and being sensitive to their needs and concerns helps to encourage trust as well as good communication. Encourage your child to tell you if there is a problem and if they are struggling. Thus, a supportive family environment can significantly improve your child’s self-esteem.
Don’t respond in anger towards your child. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or out of control, take a break and don’t take out your anger on your child.
Teach your child when to say no. Try to make sure your child understands that he or she doesn’t have to do anything they feel uncomfortable with or that seems scary to them. Teach your child to leave a threatening situation immediately and seek help from someone they trust. Also encourage your child to talk to you or another adult in case something happens. Assure your child that it is good to talk about things and that they won’t get in trouble for opening up.
Teach your child how to stay safe online and cover online ground rules for not sharing personal information, not responding to inappropriate messages, and not meeting up with strangers in person without anyone knowing. If necessary, you may report online harassment or inappropriate senders to your service provider and local authorities. On that note: Try to keep informed about possible (new) threats and discuss them with your child if possible.
Reach out to other people. For example, you can meet the families in your neighborhood as well as develop a network of supportive families and friends. If someone you know seems to be struggling, offer help one way or another.
Nobody is perfect and to be a parent can be a challenge sometimes. What’s important is to try to give your best and ask for help, if you starting to feel overwhelmed.

What to do if you recognize signs of abuse or neglect in your child

For further information about how and where to file a report, please contact your local child protective services agency or police department (see links below).

If your child has been abused, you might be the only person who can help them. Therefore, you shouldn’t delay reporting your suspicions of abuse. Denying the problem will only make the situation worse as it allows the abuse or neglect to continue unchecked and puts your child at severe risk.

When recognizing signs of abuse or neglect in a child from your own social environment or suspecting that a child is being harmed, it is important to report your suspicion. Hence, you may protect the child and support the family to receive the help they need. By reporting your concerns, you are not making an accusation, it can be rather seen as an approach for further investigation or assessment by professionals to decide if help is required or advisable.

If you are worried that you might hurt your own child or if you can’t take care of them as you should, make sure the child gets somewhere safe, and then speak with a friend, relative, or health care professional.

Professional support

Click on the button to access an overview of different support contacts to find immediate help.

Get help

Tip: Change the language settings to your home country to get a direct overview of the respective support contacts in your country on this site.