Many people imagine sexual abuse happening to older children, even teenagers. Tragically, the average victim is first molested around age 3, reports safety author Gavin DeBecker. Toddlers and preschool children lack the vocabulary and sophistication to report sexual abuse, so it's up to parents to be alert for the signs.
Behavioral Signs
Survivors and Friends, a resource site for survivors of sexual abuse, reports several behavioral signs consistent with sexual abuse. These include regressing in development, displaying inappropriate sexual knowledge, changes in eating or sleeping habits, bed-wetting and fear of the dark.
Social Signs
Social worker Joanna Saisan notes that sexually abused toddlers, despite unsophisticated verbal development, can still demonstrate social signs of the abuse. They might be unaccountably afraid of an individual or a location, behave seductively, or may not want to be undressed, bathed or changed.
Situational Signs
Family safety instructor Tom Patire warns that you should pay attention if your child receives inappropriately lavish gifts from an adult, or if the adult seems aggressive about spending time alone with your toddler. DeBecker further notes that you should listen to any gut feelings you have about any adult who spends time with your child. He says those feelings may be the result of your picking up multiple tiny cues, neither one of which was overt enough to grab your full attention.
Physical Signs
Abused children can demonstrate physical symptoms you may not immediately associate with child abuse, reports DeBecker. These can include drastic changes in weight, a persistent sore throat, signs of sleep loss, and stomach or digestive problems. In girls, frequent yeast or urinary tract infections can also indicate sexual abuse.
Sexual Signs
Survivors and Friends points out disturbing sexual signs of abuse, including foul odors from the genitals, bruising or bleeding in the genitals or rectum, discharge from the penis or vagina, and residue from sexual lubricants. DeBecker also addresses these symptoms, noting that even toddlers can contract a sexually transmitted disease from a sex abuser.
References
- "Protecting the Gift"; Gavin DeBecker; 2004
- "Personal Protection Handbook"; Tom Patire; 2005
- Survivors and Friends: Possible Signs of Sexual Abuse
- Help Guide: Signs of Child Abuse
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