New York City Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Parents should teach their children about the private parts of their bodies and tell them that if anyone tries to touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable, they should say NO and then tell a parent or an adult they trust right away. It is important that parents discuss this with their children. One of the best times to do this is while your child is enrolled in an abuse prevention program.
Do you or someone you know experience a Sign of Child Sexual Abuse? If so, contact our New York City child sexual abuse lawyer now.
Recognizing Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
Parents should ensure that there is such a program in their children’s schools and encourage the school to start one if none exists. Parents should listen when their children try to talk to them about something, especially when it seems difficult for them to do so. It is also important that parents teach their children that respect for a person does not mean doing everything the person tells them to do. Parents should be aware of who their children are spending time with and be careful about allowing them to go to remote places with adults or older adolescents. Making surprise visits to caregivers or to programs their children attend regularly may help prevent them from becoming victims or may alert parents to a problem. If you are a parent of a child that has been sexually abused or if you think that your child is being sexually abused in any way, you should contact a law firm immediately.
It is critical that you take what your child says seriously because when children’s requests for help are ignored, they may not risk telling again out of embarrassment or fear, which can keep them in harm’s way for months or years to come. People feel particularly betrayed when priests, family members or friends they considered among the most trustworthy of people violate that trust and abuse their power to take advantage of those most vulnerable. Often, when parents find that the abuser is someone very close to them, they want to take the matter into their own hands. However, parents are almost always unsuccessful when they try to stop it on their own. If you suspect that you, your children, or other children have been victims, it is critical that you report it to the authorities and specifically to your local child support agency as soon as possible.
Recent reports indicate that despite the thousands who reported the abuse they experienced as a result of the church sex abuse scandal and systematic cover-up revealed in 2002, there are still many more who have kept silent. Research indicates that there may be as many as 60 times the number of victims for every victim who reports abuse. When one victim reports misconduct, it may help prevent dozens more from prolonged abuse or from ever being abused.
It is important that parents confront the problem and recognize that they and their families will need to deal with the issue. Sexually abused children and their families require immediate professional evaluation and treatment. Your child’s pediatrician may be a helpful resource for support at this time. Psychiatrists and psychologists can help abused children regain their self-esteem, cope with feelings of guilt and begin the process of healing.
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Do you or someone you know experience a Sign of Child Sexual Abuse? If so, contact a NYC child sexual abuse attorney now!
Michael Gunzburg is a New York Sexual Abuse Attorney serving the New York Metropolitan area, including New York City, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Orange County.
