Are Children in Your Church Family Being Abused?
Donna Washburn

{Ed. Child abuse is an uncomfortable subject to think about, and this article may be difficult to read. But child abuse is a real problem in our world, and—as those whom God has called to minister to children—we have the responsibility to be aware of the issue.}

One of the many difficult issues facing churches today is the tragedy of child abuse. Not too long ago churches dealt with issues of abuse within their own walls. In the last decade or so, churches and other organizations have become legally required to notify authorities when they suspect child abuse or neglect.

Many church officials don't realize that under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), pastors, lay leaders, and all church volunteers working with children are considered to be mandated reporters in the majority of states. This means that by law they're required to immediately report any suspicions of child abuse to their state Social Services department for further investigation. Failure to follow this law may result in fines and jail time. Check your state's laws to determine specific laws pertaining to you and your church.

What about clergy-parishioner confidentiality laws? In most states that only applies when the pastor obtains knowledge of child abuse through a “confessional” method such as counseling. It doesn't apply to Sunday school teachers, nursery workers, or other staff members. When a church staff member or volunteer becomes suspicious of possible child abuse, the worker and in turn the church is legally responsible to report the suspicion to the state immediately.

How might you or your volunteers become aware of a possible abuse situation with a child in your care? The following is a list of potential indicators of child physical and sexual abuse. Many of the indicators can be the result of an accident, but when the injuries are frequent, occur in patterns, or are inconsistent with the child's or parent's story, there should be definite concern.

Physical Indicators
The most commonly identified and easily seen forms of abuse are:

•  Bruises

• Having multiple bruises, or bruises in unlikely locations, should concern you. Accidental bruises are usually found on a child's elbows, knees, chins, palms of their hands, and so on. Pay careful attention to bruises you see in the “soft tissue” areas of the body, such as the stomach, lower back, neck, cheek, and on the inner arms, inner thighs, and sides.
• Bruises in the form of an object, such as a belt, hanger, extension cord, or hand print.
• Multiple bruises in unusual patterns.
• The severity of a bruise is often a key indicator. Bruises obtained from routine play usually are small and lighter in color (light blue, quickly changing to brown and yellow). Bruises from abusive injuries are often large, dark, or colored in shades of reds and purples, indicating a more severe assault to the flesh.
• Bruises in clusters or located in one area of the child's body.
• Any bruises on infants who are not yet mobile.
• Multiple bruises in various stages of healing (more recent bruises are darker and may have a blue or black tint, and will turn yellow and brown as they age. It often will take five to seven days for a bruise to disappear, and the more severe bruises can take up to two weeks to heal. This information is helpful when determining if the reason given for a bruise is consistent with the appearance of the bruise.

•  Lacerations, abrasions, and other injuries
More severe abuse can result in actual puncture wounds or lacerations to a child's body. These should be evaluated in the context of the child's age and their explanation of the injury. The following should be noted:

• Cuts or wounds on the eyes, lips, face, or ears.
• Lacerations or “digs” on a child's arm or other body part, indicating fingernail penetration.
• Bumps or lumps on a child's skull, especially if they occur often or in multiple areas.
• Patches of hair loss, indicating possible hair pulling.
• Any injuries on the genitals of a child not consistent with diaper rash (these might be seen when diapering).
• Any blood in a child's underwear or diaper.

•  Fractures or broken bones

• Fractures or breaks in the long bones (arms and legs) which are frequent or are accompanied by bruising.
• Spiral fractures caused by twisting of an extremity.
• Broken ribs (it's very rare for a child of any age to have an accident outside of an automobile that results in broken or fractured ribs).
• Skull fractures not otherwise explained.
• Any fracture in an infant not mobile.
• Pay attention to any inconsistency in a child's or parent's story regarding the cause of the fracture.

•  Burns
Accidental burns take an irregular shape as the child naturally pulls away from a hot object. Intentional burns are often extremely symmetrical and regular in shape, and should raise a red flag. The following identifies burns that should be evaluated immediately:

• Immersion burns look as though the child was placed and held in hot or scalding water. They're often referred to as doughnut shaped, as the buttocks are often scaled around the edges and middle of the flesh, and not on the bottom where the child was held down.
• Circular shaped burns resulting from cigarettes, lighters, or other hot objects.
• Stocking burns, so named because of a distinct pattern of burning over a child's foot or hand, and immediately stopping just above the ankle or wrist indicating the child was forcibly restrained.
• Burns which resemble an object such as a curling iron or clothes iron.
• Any burns found on a non-mobile infant.

•  Behavioral indicators of physical abuse

• Avoids physical contact with adults.
• Cries easily when spoken to sternly.
• Winces or shrinks back when an adult attempts to touch or hug them.
• Wears clothing inappropriate for the weather (such as long pants and a sweat shirt on a warm summer day).
• Exhibits fear of adults, possibly one gender over the other.
• May stay isolated from other children.
• May be overly aggressive (from learning this behavior in their own home).
• Complains of pains or aches regularly.
• Inconsistent story of the cause of injury.
• Fearful of parental involvement in discussion of injury.

•  Physical indicators of Child Sexual Abuse

• Bruises or bleeding in the genital area.
• Complains of pain in the genital area.
• Refusal to urinate or pain during urination.
• Difficulty walking or sitting.
• Cries excessively during diaper changes.
• Touches themselves or other children in sexual ways. (While it's normal for children to be curious during childhood regarding sexual matters, they usually aren't persistent with such play or don't have sophisticated knowledge of sexual acts.)
• Attempts to touch adult workers in a sexual fashion.
• Torn or bloodied underwear.
• Any sexually transmitted disease.
• Bedwetting or daytime accidents of an otherwise toilet-trained child.

•  Behavioral indicators of sexual abuse
Behavioral indicators are often more common, and present in greater number than physical signs. They include:

• Excessive discussion of sexual matters
• Fear of adults, specifically one gender over the other
• Seductive behavior or exposing their genitals to others
• Sexual drawings or artwork
• Fire starting
• Excessive stomachaches or headaches
• Depression
• Withdrawal and isolation
• Low self-esteem
• Altered sleep patterns or nightmares
• In older children or teens:
  • Sexual promiscuity
  • Alcohol or drug use
  • Excessive flirtation or seduction with adults or other teens

•  Family or parental indicators of child physical and sexual abuse
There are certain family or parental characteristics that can be considered along with the child's physical or behavioral indicators of abuse. Some of the most common are:

• One or both parents are having serious personal problems.
• Parents are having marital problems and/or are victims of domestic violence.
• Parents come from abusive families.
• One or both parents are very rigid or controlling.
• The father is extremely dominant over the mother and children.
• Family seems isolated—perhaps they live away from others, or they don't participate in any activities outside the home.
• Parents don't seem to care about the child.
• Explanations about child's injuries don't add up.
• Parents are evasive or uncooperative when questioned about the child's injuries—perhaps they blame the child or become agitated or aggressive; may criticize the child or call him names.

We can't assume we won't have to deal with child abuse at our churches. Chances are, we will at some point. I think we all know how important it is that we respond appropriately. While the above indicators are useful and necessary evaluation tools for church leaders, more knowledge in this area is critical. I recommend that churches seek out a professional to conduct a seminar on the topic. Church leaders must take action to protect the very lives that have been entrusted to them, and in turn to protect their churches and workers.

Donna Washburn is a licensed clinical social worker, holding a master's degree from Southwest Missouri University. She has worked as a therapist for abused and neglected children in residential, hospital, and outpatient settings. Currently, she teaches at Evangel University in the Social Work Program, and continues to specialize in child abuse research. She is available for seminars and workshops to present Child Abuse and the Church in the form of education or to act as a consultant to churches requesting assistance in developing policies in this area.

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