One of the serious problems that in recent days has been revealed to the whole of society is
child abuse
.
"Violence in any of its forms is a violation of rights that implies multiple negative consequences for the present and future well-being of children and adolescents, harming their physical and emotional health, their cognitive development, their self-esteem and their interpersonal relationships" , assured from
UNICEF
.
In its most extreme forms, the UN agency added, violence can cause disability, serious physical injury or even death.
A central aspect of the problem is that a large part of the violence suffered by boys and girls occurs in the home and family sphere.
Violent discipline is defined as the actions of a parent or caregiver that seek to cause physical pain or emotional suffering to the child, in order to correct behavior and serve as a deterrent.
Much of the violence suffered by boys and girls occurs in the home and family sphere.
Photo illustration Shutterstock.
Verbal aggression includes shouting and insults, while physical punishment refers to actions such as shaking or shaking or more severe forms of violence such as hitting the face, head or ears, beating or hitting with objects, UNICEF detailed. .
In this context, what signs of child abuse can be noticed from outside the child's home?
Violence: some indicators
“To speak of child and adolescent abuse is to refer to any act that by action or omission causes real or potential damage to the child or adolescent to their physical, sexual, emotional, cognitive, or social integrity and development;
exercised by people or institutions that maintain an asymmetrical relationship of authority, trust or power with the girl, boy or adolescent,”
child psychologist
María Laura Lezaeta explained to
Clarín
.
Verbal aggression includes yelling and insults, while physical punishment refers to more severe acts of violence.
Photo illustration Shutterstock.
As he mentioned, there are four types of violence: physical abuse;
psychological or emotional abuse;
neglect or abandonment and sexual abuse.
“It is important that all adults, each from their role as educators, parents or professionals from different areas, are attentive to certain physical, behavioral, emotional or sexual indicators in the child, which can help us identify a situation of child abuse. ”, explained the psychologist.
Within this framework, he clarified that "these suspicious signs must be assessed globally and a direct relationship between a single symptom and child abuse must not be established."
Among the different types of indicators, he listed:
Physical indicators
: blows, bruises of various evolution, burns or wounds in some area of the body.
It is also important to be aware of recurring pain without apparent cause.
Difficulty falling asleep, decreased school performance and social isolation could be some signs.
Photo illustration Shutterstock.
Behavioral indicators
: some of them could be sudden changes in appetite (food greed or restriction, sudden increase or decrease in weight), difficulties in falling asleep;
decrease in school performance;
Social isolation;
intense fears or rejection of a certain person, place or activity.
Emotional indicators
: sadness, frequent crying, irritability, fear, excessive anger, feelings of guilt, helplessness, shame and frustration can be mentioned.
Indicators in the sexual sphere
: precocious behaviors or inappropriate sexual knowledge for their age.
What to do in the face of these suspicions?
Lezaeta assured that, "whatever the type of abuse, given the well-founded suspicion that a boy, girl or adolescent was or is being the victim of an aggression, it is important that we act following some essential criteria."
Among them, he mentioned:
It is important to always be willing to listen respectfully to boys and girls.
Photo illustration Shutterstock.
Always be willing to listen respectfully.
Give them the assurance that we will be there to help them, offering them all our support and support.
Always believe what they tell us and not doubt them.
Finally, the psychologist stressed that "as references and educators of children and adolescents we must act to protect them and preserve both their physical and emotional safety."
In addition, she emphasized, "it is important to seek professional help and resort to specialized establishments in this approach to receive care, protection and make the corresponding complaint."
María Laura Lezaeta, a child psychologist and co-founder of JUEGOlogía, advised. On Instagram,
@juegologia.
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