Youth Protection Resources
The Statistics of Sexual Abuse
Sexual Abuse Statistics
- 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before they turn 18
- 1 in 10 or over 4.5 million students, experience sexual misconduct by an educator
- 1 in 7 nursing home residents and thousands of disabled adults are abused yearly
- There are over 60 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America
- 80% of abuse victims never report their abuse
Effects on Victims
- 3x more likely to suffer from depression
- 4x more likely to contemplate suicide
- 13x more likely to abuse alcohol
- 26x more likely to abuse drugs
- More likely to suffer physically, with increased heart disease risk and obesity
Impacts on Communitites
- Communities are left shaken, wondering if there was anything they could do to prevent such an incident.
- Trust may be lost in organizations in terms of protecting children against abuse within their programs.
- Organizations become liable and can face heavy charges for failing to protect the youth under their watch.
Resources for Preventing and Reporting Abuse
Useful Contacts
To report suspected child abuse, the South Carolina Department of Social Services has a 24-hour hotline at +1 (888)-CARE4US or +1 (888) 227-3487. If it appears that a child's situation is life-threatening that may lead to serious injury or death, contact 911 immediately instead.
SCDSS also provides the ability to report abuse online through their website. You can follow this link to reach the webiste. https://dss.sc.gov/child-well-being/report-child-abuse-and-neglect/
Types of Abuse
If you suspect that a child is a victim to any kind of abuse, immediately report it using one of the various contacts above.
Physical Abuse
Some possible signs of physical abuse in children may be visible injuries like lacerations, burns, or significant unexplained marks or bruises. Some victims may have frequent, unexplained absenses and injuries in various stages of healing. Victims may also show signs like agression, withdrawl, and anxiety. Note that victims will not show all signs of physical abuse and others may not show any signs at all. Some signs may also be indicators for other issues but if you suspect abuse, do not hesitate to report using any of the contacts above.
Emotional Abuse
Some possible signs of emotional abuse in children may be speech disorders, lagging in physical development, disruptive behavior, or withdrawl. You may potentially see that parents give much more attention to another sibling, the development of destructive or anti-social behaviors, or even suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Note that these are not all signs of emotional abuse and victims may display only a few signs or no signs at all. If you suspect a child is a victim to abuse, do not hesitate to report using any of the contacts above.
Sexual Abuse
Some possible signs of sexual abuse in children may be difficulty walking, pain or discomfort in the genetail and/or anal area, withdrawl, or showing sexual behavior that are not usual for the child's current stage of development. Note that these are not all the signs of sexual abuse and victims may display only a few or no signs at all. If you suspect a child is a victim to abuse, do not hesitate to report using any of the contacts above.
Neglect
Some possible signs of neglect in children may be that they are underweight, poor growth, poor hygene, or consistent hunger. They may also show physical and medical problems that aren't properly attended to, high amount of absenses, and even abandonment. Note that these are not all the signs of neglect and victims may display only a few or no signs. If you suspect a child is a victim to abuse, do not hesitate to report using any of the contacts above.
Exposure to Domestic Violence
Some possible signs of exporue to domestic violence could be that a child displays any other signs of abuse, anxiety, or sleeplessness. They may also show anxiety toward the seperation of one of their parents or the well being of a parent. Note that these are not all signs of exposure and victims may not display any signs. If you suspect a child is a victim to exposure or abuse, do not hesitate to report using any of the contacts above.
Helpful Resources
Do you need someone to talk with? You can go to https://www.childhelphotline.org/ or call +1 (800) 422-4453. This is a 24/7 hotline where you can speak to a counselor for questions, resources, and talk through difficult situations.
The ChildHelp organization has powerful resources that can help people of all walks, wether it be helping parents, teens, or survivors wanting to better understand and begin the healing process. You can follow the links below to the various pages for more information.
