Fear
· Fear of further abuse to oneself as well as fear for the children who may already be part of the abusive pattern.
· Feelings of guilt for somehow being responsible for the batterer’s unhappiness and anger.
· The individual may feel they somehow provoked them or is inadequate as a spouse and parent.
· Many abused individuals watched their mothers tolerate abuse and may have grown up with an overwhelming sense of shame.
· Violence begets more violence.
· The abusive individual feels she cannot escape, and the beating become more and more severe.
· The individual is financially dependent on the abuser. They may feel desperate, trapped in a violent world, alone, powerless.
· The batterer …show more content…
· Sexual abuse in children is found in all socioeconomic classes and family settings. At one time girls were sexually abused more than boys however, boys are being sexually abused, but many times it is unreported and not told until adulthood.
· The age of the child at the onset of the sexual abuse. The highest risk are children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old.
· Sibling abuse has been increasing. Children don’t often report sexual abuse to their parents or and adult. Parents of victims of sibling incest have to divide their concern between two children, and they sometimes have to make a choice to remove one child. Many parents alternate between sympathy for the victim and sympathy for the offender, whom they may perceive as immature, emotionally unstable or victimized himself.
Rape
· Rape is defined as the carnal knowledge of a victim without his or her consent that occurs through fear, coercion, fraud or force. Carnal knowledge is considered any degree of penetration of a body orifice whether or not ejaculation occurs. The threat of harm or death, with or without the use of a weapon. Any act from fondling to penetration of a body opening with the penis or another object.
· 65 % power, 35% …show more content…
Adolescent may express feelings of being mistreated or ignored by becoming inappropriately active sexually and act out their frustrations
Elderly
· Elderly are a natural setup for abuse because of their age.
· Elder asks to be separated from caretaker who is abusing them.
· Elder seem overly alert when the caregiver is around and watches the caregiver’s every move.
· Unexplained chest, abdominal or pelvic pain
· Bleeding from nose, mouth, vagina, or anus, bruises on both sides of the body, inside the thighs, top of shoulders
· A lot of abuse may be invisible. Threats of withholding medication, ambulation assistance and creature comforts, or just threatening to carry out physical abuse can be devastating.
· The elder may be too frightened to report the abuser. Refusal to touch or to comfort the old person or isolating the person from others.
Where Are Your Children?
· Family members
· Non-family members
· Scout Leaders
· Priests
· Day care workers
· Neighbors
· Parks, recreation centers, amusement parks, skating rinks, movies,