Here's how you can recognize, report and reduce child abuse in Pa.

Child abuse and neglect is, unfortunately, not uncommon.

In 2017 alone, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services reported over 47,000 cases of child abuse and neglect in the state — about 3,000 more than the previous year. Those cases involved 88 near-fatalities and 40 fatalities. 

And after nearly two years of investigating sexual abuse of children within six Catholic diocese across Pennsylvania, a grand jury issued a historic report in August detailing sexual abuse by hundreds of priests. 

There is no easy solution to this problem. There's not exactly a step-by-step guide to preventing child abuse. 

But child protection experts say there are ways to recognize abuse and keep children safer.

Here are some tips from Kristin Houser, chief public affairs officer for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape; and Cathy Utz, the deputy secretary for the state office of children, youth and families.

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First things first...

"It is the responsibility of all adults to look out for the safety of all children," Houser said. This means adults need to tell other adults who care for kids about their expectations.

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Ask about policies regarding adult time with kids:

• How often are your staff trained about preventing child abuse? 
• What kind of relationship does your organization have with the local rape crisis or child advocacy center? 

Adults also need to speak up when they see or hear other adults doing things that are inappropriate. They don't need to be confrontational, but they do need to communicate that they are watching and willing to intervene.

You can’t know if an adult has bad intentions or is “grooming” a child…but you can say things such as:

• “I’ve noticed you spend a lot of time with Kevin and are really physical sometimes" 
• "I wanted to let you know that some of the parents have noticed... it doesn’t always look appropriate."
• "Are you particularly close with his family?”

Talk to your children 

Talk with your children early and often, and in age-appropriate ways. Make it OK for them to ask questions and share things that aren’t always comfortable.

If you are watching TV, playing video games or listening to the radio with your children, you have constant opportunities to pull out a lyric or discuss a theme that is disrespectful and ask them, "Does this happen in your school? Do kids talk like this? How does that make you and your friends feel? What would you do if this happened to your friend?"

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Abuse often occurs from people in positions of authority, such as coaches or teachers, so it's important to be consistent in asking your children about how their day was — "What did you do in school today? How was soccer practice?"

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Reinforce values that are protective

Reinforce values that are protective – things like kindness, looking out for friends, respect, and the right to determine who touches them and how.

You can do this in ways that have nothing to do with sex. Support children who don’t want to hug or kiss adults or relatives by suggesting a high-five, thumbs-up, or a wave instead.

Teach them that "no" and "stop" are important words that should always be honored. Help them understand that just because they agreed to something once, doesn’t mean they have to the next time. 

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Warning signs of abuse

Look for these indicators of abuse: 

Physical indicators:

• Unexplained injuries 
• Unbelievable or inconsistent explanations of injuries 
• Bruises that resemble objects such as a hand, fist, belt buckle, or rope 
• Injuries that are inconsistent with a child's age/developmental level 
• Burns
• Sleep disturbances 
• Bed wetting 
• Pain or irritation in genital/anal area Difficulty walking or sitting 
• Difficultly urinating
• Pregnancy
• Positive testing for sexually transmitted disease or HIV
• Source:PA Dept. of Human Services

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Behavioral indicators:

• Fear of going home 
• Extreme apprehensiveness/vigilance 
• Pronounced aggression or passivity 
• Flinches easily or avoids being touched 
• Play includes abusive behavior or talk 
• Unable to recall how injuries occurred or account of injuries is inconsistent with the nature of the injuries 
• Fear of parent or caregiver
• Expressing feelings of inadequacy
• Fearful of trying new things
• Overly compliant
• Poor peer relationships
• Excessive dependence on adults
• Habit disorders (sucking, rocking, etc.)
• Eating disorders

If your child tells you they were abused...

There isn’t a “right” way for a parent to react when they are told their child has been abused, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s official website.

The website offers parents some advice, telling them to repeat the following messages through both their words and actions if their child discloses abuse to them:

• I love you. 
• What happened is not your fault. 
• I will do everything I can to keep you safe.  

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How to report abuse

You should make a report anytime you suspect a child is the victim of abuse. 

• Call ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313. Trained specialists are available 24/7 to receive referrals of suspected child abuse and general child well-being concerns.
• Mandated reporters in the state of Pennsylvania can also file a report online, at Pennsylvania's Child Welfare Portal.