Abused Youth: Identifying

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Abused Youth Identifying Intervening in Schools

• By Syndia Limon, Lorette Avanessian, Esther Park
  and Alice Cheung
  

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Activity Role Play 1

• Interaction between Coach and Counselor
• I dont have time for it.

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Discussion Question

• What should Counselor Alice do in this
  situation?
  

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Abuse Statistics for physical abuse
Figure 4-1 Age of Child Fatalities, 2006Child
Maltreatment 2006                              
                                                  
                                                  
                                                  
                                                  
                     
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Statistics
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What is Abuse?
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Physical Abuse

• Most noticeable form of abuse
• Caused by Unrealistic expectations, Stress,
  Poverty, Environment (history of family
  violence)
  

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Signs of Physical Abuse

• Bruises
• Cuts
• Burns
• Fractures
• Strap marks swellings
• Loss of teeth
• Wear clothing such as long sleeves to purposely
  cover up injuries
  
• Afraid of parents

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Location of Injuries can be a sign of whether or
not the child is being physically abused
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Accidental vs. Intentional

• Children often fall and bruise areas of the skin
  such as shins, knees, hands, elbows, nose, and
  forehead.

• Child Abuse
• Injuries on the body buttocks, thighs, torso,
  ears, and neck
  
• Injuries are usually untreated
• Older kids cover up injuries with lies, where as
  younger kids usually tell the truth

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Role Play 2

• Spanking When is it too much?

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Discussion Question

• What should Counselor Syndia do in this
  situation?
  

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Sexual Abuse

• What is Sexual Abuse?
• ? APA describes it as fondling of childs
  genitals, masturbation, oral-sexual activity,
  digital penetration, and vaginal and anal
  intercourse
• Also includes rape, incest, child pornography,
  molestation, exploitation
  
• REVICTIMIZATION Victims of rape are more likely
  to be involved in physically abusive
  relationships as adults.
  

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Physical signs and symptoms

• Insomnia or nightmares
• Difficulty walking or sitting
• Pain, itching, or bleeding in the genitalia
• Sexually Transmitted disease, or Venereal
  disease
  
• Frequent urinary tract or yeast infections
• Pregnancy
• Self-mutilation cutting, substance abuse,
  attempted suicide
  

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Behavioral Warning Signs

• Delinquent and aggressive behavior, depression,
  low self-esteem, shame and guilt
  
• Detailed and sophisticated understanding of
  sexual behavior
  
• Regressing to signs of bedwetting or speech loss
• Unwillingness to change clothes or participate in
  physical education
  
• Poor interpersonal relationships with peers

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Emotional Abuse

• What is it?
• Abusers constantly reject, ignore, belittle,
  dominate, and criticize the victims.
  
• Usual overlap with other types of abuse

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Examples of Emotional Abuse

• Excessive demands on a childs performance
• Penalizing a child for positive, normal behavior
• Discouraging caregiver and infant attachment
• Penalizing a child for using interpersonal skills
  needed for adequate performance in school and
  peer groups
  

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Examples of Emotional Abuse (Continued)

• Frequently exposing children to family violence
• Unwillingness or inability to provide affection
  or stimulation for the child in the course of
  daily care

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Case Example

• Story of Michelle Myers-Walters

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Neglect

• No one clear definition of neglect
• The failure of the primary caretaker to provide
  an adequate level of care and be responsible for
  the childs basic need
  
• -APA
  definition

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Cases of Neglect

• Not meeting a childs BASIC needs for food,
  clothing, or shelter
  
• Leaving a young child alone
• Not having a child attend school
• Leaving a child in an unsafe place
• Not seeking necessary medical attention

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Physical symptoms of Neglect

• Personal hygiene
• Badly nourished
• Inadequately clothed
• In obvious need of medical and/or dental
  attention
  

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Behavioral Symptoms of Neglect

• Inattentive in class
• Anxious
• Overly dependent on teachers for approval,
  encouragement, and assistance
  
• Initiate fewer interactions with peers
• Low self-esteem
• Stealing

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Cycle of Violence
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Cultural Perspectives

• Inconsistent results in studies of cultural
  differences and abuse
  
• Child Welfare System shows that African American,
  Latino, and Native American children are
  overrepresented in the foster care system
  
• However, Asian American children have highest
  rates of physical abuse most likely due to
  corporal punishment
  
• White children have most abuse-related
  fatalities
  

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Table 4-4 Race and Ethnicity of Child Fatalities,
2006Child Maltreatment 2006
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Cultural Perspectives (cont)

• More research is needed
• Look at types of abuse and cultural factors
• Look at factors that affect disclosing,
  reporting, and seeking help for abuse in
  particular culture
  

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Gender Differences
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Mandated Reporting

• Mandated reporters have absolute immunity wont
  be civilly or criminally liable for filing any
  abuse report
  
• If fail to report suspected abuse
• Can get 6 months in jail
• May get fined up to 1000
• Can be held civilly responsible for damages
  resulting from any injury to the child after a
  failure to report
  
• Person who suspects abuse MUST be the one to
  report
  
• Identity of mandated reporter will remain
  confidential
  

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Reporting Procedures

• If suspect abuse or neglect, must report to the
  principal (or principals designee)
  
• Call the local child protective agency
• Los Angeles County Department of Children and
  Family Services ? 800-540-4000 (24 hours)
  
• May call law enforcement if child is unfit or
  unsafe to return home
  
• Must fill out Child Abuse report - form SS8572
  within 36 hours
  
• For childrens centers and preschools, reports
  must also be made to the Department of Social
  Services
  

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Filling out a Suspected Child Abuse Report Form

• YOU are a mandated reporter
• Number to call within 24 hours [phone]
• Online website mandreptla.org
• Must be filed online, faxed, or mailed within 36
  hours
  

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Mandated Reporters Should NEVER.

• Contact the childs home or alleged abuser prior
  to making a report
  
• Conduct an investigation
• Report abuse or neglect to School Police
• Law states that School Police is not a child
  protective agency

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What happens next?

• Child Protective Services
• Investigate situation
• Foster Care System
• Does it work?
• Restraining orders
• Help give some sense of security

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Similar Behaviors within ALL Types of Abuse

• INTERNAL

• EXTERNAL

• Learning disorders
• Depression
• Low self worth/esteem
• Guilt
• Shame
• Withdrawal
• Higher levels of anger, aggression hostility

• Aggressive hostile behavior
• Low academic achievement
• Teen pregnancy
• Substance abuse
• Criminal behavior
• Self-mutilation
• Perfectionist tendencies

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Internal External Behaviors (cont.)
But remember CORRELATION DOES NOT IMPLY
CAUSATION!
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Role Play 3

• Abused Child and Counselor
• Promise not to tell?

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Discussion Question

• What should Counselor Alice do?

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Counselor Roles

• Serve as leaders and ADVOCATES
• Be aware informed of laws and policies
  regarding abuse
  
• Protect students by disclosing abuse information
  with or without consent
  
• Recognize that counseling alone cannot help
• Should seek consultation, supervision or even
  treatment for themselves when overwhelmed with
  feelings.
  

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Counselors SHOULD

• Listen carefully
• Express to the student that you believe in
  him/her
  
• Tell student that abuse is NOT their fault
• Let student know that making the report is
  necessary to help stop abuse
  

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Counselors SHOULD NOT

• Make promises to the student that they cant keep
  (i.e., not telling anyone)
  
• Push student to give details about abuse
  (counselor is there to listen to what the student
  wants to share)
  
• Disclose the information to others who are not
  involved in helping with the situation

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Interventions

• Community Interventions
• Invite local organizations to become involved in
  school
  
• Increase social cohesion or community
  organization
  
• Enhance availability, coordination, and
  integration of social services needed by families
  and children
  
• Should require little effort from recipients

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Interventions (cont)

• School Based Interventions
• Inform children and provide access to information
  and resources
  
• Student groups stress and anger management,
  healthy dating, life skills workshops
  
• Use curriculum that teaches issues on abuse
• Teacher workshops on how to identify and handle
  abuse disclosures by students
  
• Parent informative workshops regarding abuse

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Abuse in the Movies

• Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) Julia Roberts
  plays an abused wife who fakes her death and
  moves to a different state. Her husband figures
  it out and stalks her.
• Whats Love Got to do With It? (1993) How Tina
  Turner rose to stardom with her abusive husband
  and how she gains the courage to break free.
  
• Enough (2002) As Jennifer Lopez runs from an
  abusive husband, she learns how to fight back
  

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Abuse in Music

• Date Rape by Sublime
• Polly by Nirvana
• Rape Me by Nirvana
• Because of You by Kelly Clarkson
• Im Okay by Christina Aguilera
• Alive by Pearl Jam
• Rain on Me by Ashanti

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Resources

• Department of Children and Family Services
• ? 1-800-540-4000 (L.A. County)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline
• ? 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
• ? www.ndvh.org/materials
• Local, community based programs
• CalWORKs Healthy Families, WIC

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Campaigns

• Domestic Violence Awareness Month of October

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Campaigns
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