Kidnapped women held captive for 10 years are free!
Symptoms of abused children… Quoting this website…
What is Child Abuse?
“Child abuse, or child maltreatment, is an act by a parent or caretaker that results in or allows the child to be subjected to death, physical injury, sexual assault, or emotional harm. Emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse are all different forms of child abuse.”
It can be difficult to know when a child is being abused; their reactions can vary by personality, culture or age. Common clues to watch for include:
- Changes in mood and behavior. Abused children can appear more aggressive, scared, anxious, depressed or withdrawn. They may be anxious about leaving school or going places with the abuser.
- Changes in eating or sleeping. Stress, fear and anxiety caused by abuse can lead to weight gain or loss, frequent nightmares, difficulty sleeping or extreme fatigue.
- Changes in school performance and attendance. Abused children may have difficulty concentrating in school or have excessive absences. A child may also present as an overachiever and possibly be hyper-vigilant about grades or school activities.
- Lack of personal care or hygiene. Children may appear uncared for or exhibit poor hygiene as a result of parental neglect or sexual abuse.
- Risk-taking behaviors. Young people who are being abused may engage in high-risk activities such as using drugs or alcohol, carrying a weapon or overly sexualized behavior.
If a child discloses to you, don’t confront the abuser.
Let the child know you believe them and don’t blame them; talk to a professional. If you would like to learn more about the One Strong ‘Ohana campaign to prevent child abuse and neglect and strengthen families in Hawaiʻi, please click here or visit OneStrongOhana.com.
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You can make a difference in helping abused and neglected children… Vote “YES” on Measure 21-151 Children’s Trust of Lincoln County and return your ballot today!
We mostly hear about kids who have been kidnapped and killed, or in the case of today’s good news… Kidnapped women held captive for 10 years are free! There are countless children living near you in their own homes with parents who are abusive for lots of different reasons. Often parents have their own mental health issues in life following a traumatic event or other health circumstances. I lived in an abusive home environment for all of my childhood years so know well what it is like… We siblings felt like captives in our own home. We suffered physical and emotional abuse for many years and carried the baggage into adult life. Home was a scary place we did not want to be part of, but felt there was no choice. Mostly we felt there was something wrong with us…that we did something to cause all the anger demonstrated by our parents toward us and each other…
As a community we must be more vigilant as neighbors looking out for our kids and support new initiatives like Children’s Trust of Lincoln County where we live and the programs they will fund like www.neighborsforkids.org. Please vote “YES” on Measure 21-151 Children’s Trust of Lincoln County and get your ballot back in the mail or a drop-off box near you…today!
Steve Sparks
Author
Reconciliation: A Son’s Story (click to order)
