Child protection centre speaks out about child abuse

EDMONTON- Members of a local child protection centre are speaking out about child abuse in our community.

Officials from the Zebra Child Protection Centre are hoping to educate people on the importance of being informed about child abuse.

Alberta Human Services says child abuse can be any act of maltreatment by a parent or guardian that results in harm or injury. The four main types of child abuse are neglect, emotional injury, physical abuse or sexual abuse.

The director of the Zebra Child Protection Centre wants to stress the importance of being able to spot potential signs of abuse in children. She says that means being involved in childrens' lives.

"Be engaged in your childrens' lives. For aunts and uncles and grandmas and grandpas, be engaged. School teachers be engaged, be observant. When a child comes into the classroom and there's bruising and you're looking at it and going 'hmm' then place a call," said Barb Spencer, director of the Zebra Child Protection Centre.

Spencer says it's extremely important for adults to report abuse in order to give children a chance to have their voices heard.

"By reporting it, you are bringing each child to the attention of investigative experts in our community who can ensure the safety of the child."

Spencer says research suggests a child may tell six or seven people about the abuse before it goes reported.

"You have to look and say 'so then there's adults they're telling, why aren't they reporting?' One of our roles here at Zebra is to eliminate that anxiety that people have about 'What's going to happen if I report this to police? What's going to happen to my daughter or to my grand daughter or to my grandson?'"

The Edmonton Police Service child protection section has investigated 68 incidents of child sexual or physical abuse so far this year. In 2012 it investigate about 340 cases.

Alberta Human Services describes sexual abuse as the inappropriate exposure or subjection of a child to sexual contact, activity or behaviour by a parent or guardian.

The following information about child abuse has been provided by Alberta Human Services:

Sexual abuse can include:

•“non-touching” activities (e.g. obscene phone calls/conversations, indecent exposure or exhibitionism, masturbation in front of a child, deliberate exposure to others engaged in sexual activities, exposure to any forms of pornographic material)

•“sexual touching” activities (e.g. fondling a child, making a child touch an adult’s genital area, or sexual intercourse)

•“sexual exploitation” (e.g. engaging a child for prostitution, using a child in pornography or luring a child via the Internet for sexual purposes). In Alberta, children and youth under the age of 18 who are involved in prostitution are considered to be victims of sexual abuse, and have legislation to protect them. We have more information about sexual exploitation.

Alberta Human Services says a child who has been sexually abused may or may not show any behavioural or emotional reaction to sexual abuse. The most important sign of sexual abuse is a child telling someone about the abuse. Because children commonly delay telling anyone about chronic or acute abuse, all disclosures should be taken seriously.

Listed below are some possible signs, of sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.

Physical signs:

The child may:
•have a sexually transmitted disease
•be pregnant at a very young age
•have genital discharge, infection or bleeding
•have physical trauma or irritations in the anal and genital areas
•have pain when urinating or defecating
•have problems walking or sitting due to genital or anal pain
•have stomach aches, headaches or other psychosomatic complaints

Sexual behavioural signs:

The child may:
•express premature or inappropriate curiosity or understanding of sexual behaviour
•display inappropriate or aggressive seductive or sexual behaviour with peers, teachers or other adults
•use sexually explicit language or make sexually explicit drawings
•masturbate compulsively
•have poor hygiene or bathe excessively
•abuse alcohol or drugs
•be unable to concentrate
•have school problems or have a significant change in school performance
•start to display regressive behaviour (e.g. wet or soil their pants, wet the bed, thumb-sucking)
•become withdrawn, anxious, fearful or depressed
•resist diaper changes or going to the bathroom
•have eating disturbances (e.g. overeating or under-eating)
•have sleep disturbances (e.g. nightmares, afraid to go to sleep, sleeping long hours)
•lack social skills and have trouble making friends

Parents and guardians are responsible to care for their children, but sometimes they are not willing or able to provide a safe and secure home for their child, or protect them from abuse or neglect.

Protective Services are needed when:

•A child has been abused or is at risk of abuse by the parent or the parent does not protect the child from abuse;
•A child has been neglected by the parent;
•A child has been subjected to cruel and unusual treatment or punishment by the parent or the parent fails to protect the child from cruel and unusual treatment or punishment;
•A child's parent is dead and we are aware that no arrangements have been made for the care of the child; or,
•The parent's whereabouts are unknown.

Call 310-0000 to obtain the telephone number of your local office or call the Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-387-5437 to report a concern.