JUST IN CASE
You work with or supervise children

Child exploitation is a subject that we all hear and read about frequently. It’s a term that encompasses mental, physical, and sexual victimization of children. While most teens who work with children in settings from babysitting to volunteer activities aren’t trained to make judgments about whether a child has been a victim of any kind of exploitation, most states have strict laws regarding the reporting of suspected cases of child abuse.

If you suspect that a child you supervise in any capacity is a victim of physical or sexual exploitation, immediately report that to the person in charge. And, depending on the situation, that could be a parent, teacher, clergy member, scout leader, camp director, or nurse. Discuss your suspicions with the person in charge. In most states, persons with knowledge of suspected child abuse are required to report the case to a child protective services agency. In some states, failure to report carries criminal penalties, especially for child-care professionals such as teachers or nurses. Be sure to find out about the reporting requirements in your state.

Detecting Sexual Exploitation. Some forms of abuse may not leave obvious physical evidence. There are, however, behavioral signs that may indicate victimization. This is especially true of children who have been sexually molested. You should be alert to these signs of sexual exploitation.

Changes in behavior, extreme mood swings, withdrawal, fearfulness, and excessive crying.

Nightmares, fear of going to bed, or other sleep disturbances such as bed-wetting.

Acting out inappropriate sexual activity or showing an unusual interest in sexual matters.

A sudden acting out of feelings or aggressive or rebellious behavior.

Regression to infantile behavior.

A fear of certain places, people, or activities, especially being alone with certain people. Children shouldn’t be forced to give affection to an adult or teenager if they don’t want to. A desire to avoid this may indicate a problem or may indicate that parents have cautioned the child against such behavior.

Pain, itching, bleeding, fluid, or rawness in the private areas.

Please note, however, that some of these behaviors may have other explanations. For instance, a child who comes to camp is entering a strange environment and may experience homesickness or anxieties that can lead to behaviors similar to the signs of sexual exploitation. But don’t simply discount any of these behaviors as homesickenss. Immediately bring it to the attention of the camp director or camp nurse.

What to Do If a Child Discloses. If a child in your care tells you that someone has molested him or her, you need to be prepared to help the child.

Don’t Panic or overreact to the information disclosed by the child.

Don’t Criticize the child or claim that the child misunderstood what happened.

Respect the child’s privacy. Take the child to a place where you can’t be overheard by others. It’s important that you discuss the child’s situation only with the person in charge of the child and the child protective services agency for your state. The situation shouldn’t become a topic of conversation with others. At times it may seem hard to keep information confidential, but the victim will pay the price of any violation of his or her trust in you.

Encourage the child to tell a trusted adult. Make sure that the child feels that he or she isn’t to blame for what happened. Tell the child that no one should ask him or her to keep a secret — secrets are different from surprises like a birthday gift — and that it’s okay to talk with appropriate adults about what happened. Try to avoid repeated interviews about the incident. This can be very stressful for the child.

Precautions Against Accusations of Sexual Exploitation. Child exploitation is a serious criminal offense. As a teen with the responsibility of caring for children, you may be placed in sensitive situations, making you vulnerable to charges of child molestation. If you take these simple precautions, however, you needn’t be afraid of groundless accusations.

Have others present when you are supervising activities such as showering, changing into swimming suits, and dressing or undressing in any other situations.

Respect the privacy of the child. Don’t become intrusive or curious more than is necessary to monitor the health and safety of the child.

Respect the child’s wishes in regard to displays of affection. The child has the right to reject displays of affection if he or she feels uncomfortable about them. Remember, not every child comes from a background in which affection is openly displayed.

Protect your own privacy. There will be a natural curiosity about boyfriends or girlfriends; personal relationships; and, with some older children, sexual activity. You should use common sense in discussing sensitive subjects with the children you supervise, and you shouldn’t go into the details of your private life.

Remember, sexual exploitation shouldn’t be confused with physical contacts that are true expressions of affection. A warm and healthy relationship can exist between teens and the children they supervise if you respect the child and place reasonable limits on your physical interaction.

Adapted and reprinted with permission from For Camp Counselors: Guidelines on child sexual abuse and exploitation. Copyright © 1986 National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. All rights reserved.

 



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