Pay careful attention when your child tells you…

he/she doesn’t want to be with a particular person. The child may have a good reason. Ask why. Signs of abuse can be difficult to detect. Often children are too frightened to talk about sexual abuse. Watch for: abrupt fearfulness of certain settings or people; sudden difficulty sleeping and reoccurring nightmares; regressive behavior like bedwetting, thumb sucking and excessive crying; sudden behavioral changes; unusual interest in or knowledge of sexual matters; expressing affection in ways inappropriate for a child that age; shame about his/her body; depression and anxiety; and any physical signs of genital injury or infection.