Signs of Child Abuse
Sometimes, the signs of child abuse are painfully obvious: the bruises and scars, the scabs, the unexplained absences from school, the welts and cuts. However, such indicators are extremely helpful when it comes to recognizing and identifying potential abuse. Today’s society is increasingly conscious of the issue of child abuse, which transcends cultural and socioeconomic boundaries. More overt signals therefore have a good chance of being picked up on by caretakers and other adults in a child’s network of extra-familial support.
Unfortunately, child abuse is not always so easy to detect. Many children remain reluctant to speak up about abuse, so if the signs are not on the surface, other clues become much more important. Behavioral or other secondary indicators of child abuse include:
- Excessive fearfulness around or shyness toward strangers – while every child responds differently to new environments and people – especially unfamiliar adults – if the reaction of hesitance is so pronounced that it keeps him or her visibly isolated, this could be an indicator of an abusive situation.
- Inappropriate clothing is another easily-overlooked cue to abuse. Be suspicious of children wearing pants or long sleeves in warmer weather, as an abusive guardian may be attempting to cover up physical signs of harm.
- At the opposite end of the spectrum, certain patterns of antisocial or atypical behavior may point to emotionally or psychologically-abusive situations. For example, older children repeatedly failing to “act their age” may in fact be reflecting constant belittlement on the part of a parent or guardian.
Contact Us
For more information on your child custody case and the role that certain types of abuse might play in the court’s decision, contact the experienced San Jose family lawyers of the Law Office of Daniel Jensen, P.C., today by calling 408-296-4100.
