Reporting Child Abuse

What kind of person abuses a child? Unfortunately, there is no simple answer; so we all need to become familiar with the range of risk factors and warning signs, while remembering that their presence may not always be proof of abuse.

Sexual abuse can be committed by a family or a non family member, and in most cases, the child knows their abuser. Physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect, by definition, occur at home.

Although abuse does not always occur within families, parents and caretakers dealing with substance abuse, domestic violence or mental illness are generally considered to be among those with the highest risk for maltreating their children.

There are also other, more subtle risk factors to consider; circumstances such as being isolated, being a very young parent, having multiple children, and having a personal history of abuse as a child are known factors that increase the risk of parents and caregivers becoming abusers. We also know that the presence in the home of a non- related, temporary caregiver, such as a parent’s new partner, might present a risk.

An abuser who is sexually attracted to children will often place themselves in situations where it is acceptable for adults to interact with young people, and will frequently prey on vulnerable children, such as those with overstressed parents who lack the time to monitor all of their activities. These abusers will often engage in a gradual seduction process known as “grooming.”

There are also abusers who find themselves sexually attracted to older kids and teens—those children who no longer look like children, but certainly, in many respects, still are. These predators often gain compliance by offering prestige, status and romance.

In some situations, the abuser is another child. Many of the same traits associated with bullying, particularly a lack of empathy for the feelings of others, are found in young people who sexually abuse children.

While there are warning signs and risk factors, there is no simple way to identify abusers. Instead, you must learn to trust your instincts, and if a situation just does not seem right, don’t make excuses for the adult’s behavior. By paying attention and learning as much as you can, you might be able to help a child out of an abusive situation.

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