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In 1999,
over 32,000 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported in Virginia.
As caregivers of abused children, our training and experience has
taught us the signs to look for when evaluating a child who may
have been abused. For the average person, however, the signs of
child abuse and neglect may not be as clear. By knowing what to
look for, you may be able to protect a child from further harm by
reporting the suspected abuse to the appropriate social service
agencies.
In general,
child abuse falls into four major categories, including physical
abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse and neglect. Children
often cannot verbalize when they are being abused. However, they
do usually express their fear and sadness through their behavior.
Some clusters of behaviors that may signal a child is "crying out"
for help include:
- Unusual or unexplainable bruises, welts, burns, cuts or abrasions
- Intense fear of parents and doesn't want to go home
- Wears inappropriate clothing to conceal the physical signs
of abuse
- Displays very aggressive, destructive, or delinquent behavior
or withdraws from others.
- Poor hygiene, unkempt appearance and consistently hungry
- Left alone without adult supervision for long periods of time
- Displays detailed or inappropriate understanding of sexual
activities
- Acts in an inappropriately adult or infantile manner
There are
no laws in Virginia requiring the average citizen to report cases
of suspected child abuse, but we believe there is an unspoken moral
obligation to notify a social services agency when abuse is suspected.
Cases of suspected child abuse should be reported to your local
department of social services or to the Child Abuse and Neglect
Toll Free Hotline at 1-800-552-7096.
St.
Joseph's Villa
Helping children, families and our community since
1834
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