Reporting Abuse

Child abuse consists of any act, or failure to act, that endangers a child’s physical or emotional health and development. Someone is abusive if he or she fails to nurture the child, physically injures the child, or relates sexually to the child.

The four major types of child abuse are:

• Physical Abuse
• Sexual Abuse
• Emotional Abuse
• Neglect

Reporting Saves Lives.

You may be afraid to report child abuse due to possible repercussions to the child or yourself. Be relieved to know that:

• Child abuse will be confirmed before the child is removed from the home. An investigation will take place before a child is removed from the home and placed in safe care.
• Reporting is anonymous; therefore, the child abuser cannot find out who made the report.

Remember that suspected child abuse is sufficient reason to make a report to authorities. You do not need proof. Your call may save the life of a child. If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, please call: 1-800-252-2873 (1-800-25-ABUSE)

Facts

• Each week Child Protective Services agencies in the United States collectively receive more than 50,000 referrals alleging that children have been abused or neglected.
• A child abuse report is made every 10 seconds.
• 4 children die everyday as a result of child abuse or neglect and 3 out of 4 are under the age of 4.
• 1/3 of abused or neglected children will later abuse their own children.
• In 2006, 110,241 children reported abuse or neglect in Illinois.
• In 2006, 169,902 hotline calls were made in Illinois.
• It is estimated that there are 60 million survivors or childhood sexual abuse in America today.

Signs and Symptoms

To recognize child abuse, look for clusters of the following physical and behavioral symptoms:

• Burns, bite marks, cuts, bruises, or welts in the shape of an object
• Resistance to going home
• Fear of adults
• Apathy, depression
• Hostility
• Difficulty concentrating
• Inappropriate interest in or knowledge of sexual acts
• Seductiveness
• Avoidance of things related to sexuality, or rejection of own genitals or body
• Either overcompliance or excessive aggression
• Fear of a particular person or family member
• Clothing unsuited to the weather
• Being dirty or unbathed
• Extreme hunger
• Apparent lack of supervision

Warning Signs of Online Sexual Child Abuse

• Your child receives mail, gifts, or packages from someone you don’t know
• Your child becomes withdrawn from the family
• Your child is using an online account belonging to someone else

Causes

Not all child abuse is deliberate or intended. Several factors may combine to cause a person to abuse a child such as:

• Stress (including the stress of caring for children, or the stress of caring for a child with a disability, special needs, or difficult behaviors)
• Lack of nurturing qualities necessary for caring for a child
• Difficulty controlling anger
• Personal history of being abused
• Isolation from the family or community
• Physical or mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Personal problems such as marital conflict, unemployment, or financial difficulties

Many forms of child abuse arise from ignorance, isolation, or benign neglect. Abuse also tends to be intergenerational – those who were abused as children are more likely to repeat the act when they become parents or caretakers.

What happens next?

A child is abused...What is going to happen next? How long will this take? The investigators will interview the alleged perpetrator at a convenient time soon after the incident. Depending on the information they have obtained and his/her responses to the interview, they will proceed as necessary with either further investigation or arrest, if possible. The length of time this investigation takes is completely dependent on information received and the amount of evidence obtained. Then the case will go to the State's Attorney for review and there will be a discussion at our monthly meeting, at which time the Advocacy Network for Children will contact you with follow-up information to keep you informed.