It is important to remember that children who are sexually abused are usually victimized by someone they know and trust. They are usually afraid to tell because they think they will be blamed, punished, or not believed. Children are never responsible for being victimized. When you respond to a child in crisis, welcome but do not force the child to tell you about what happened. Listen calmly to help reduce the child's fear and confusion. Always believe what a child tells you. Accept his/her story and don't judge. The child will look to you for reassurance and stability. Don’t assume that the child has forgotten about the incident and don’t pretend that it never happened. A child needs to talk about the incident frequently to overcome the feelings related to the abuse. It is very important to seek professional help for any child who has been sexually abused or assaulted.
Some common symptoms/indicators of sexual abuse are: persistent and inappropriate
sexual play with peers or toys or themselves, sexually aggressive behavior
with others, sleep disturbances, detailed and age-inappropriate knowledge
of sexual behavior, refusing to go to school or other places that may be
reminders of the abuse, arriving consistently early at school or leaving late, depression, and withdrawal.
For additonal information on this topic, please send us an e-mail at : sasiservices@survivorinfo.org