Physical signs associated with sexual abuse will of course be usally confined to the genital area and or less the child is at the age of where they nedd assitance to going to the toilet,

These signs may be difficult for practitioners to detected. However it is important to be aware of the physical signs associated with sexual abuse and these included the following:

* bloodstained underwear
* difficult of going to the toilet and showing distress when needing to pass urine or have bowel movement.
* difficult in sitting down or moving about
* frequent ‘ accident’ when the child wets/soils themselves
* frequent infections of genital areas
*non-accident bruising, particularly around the genital areas.
*vaginal discharge

Sexual abuse can be very hard to detected as many children do not appear to show many ‘outward’ physical injuries.

Even though the physical signs may not be apparent, the behaviour can indicate the signs of abuse.

* appearing depressed/ withdrawn
*avoiding being alone with certain people
* dropping hints / clues to try and tell you what is happening to them this is known as covert disclosure.
* exposing the genital area
* lost interest in school and starting to perform badly at school
* masturbating in public
* painting/ drawing of sexual nature
* restoring to immature behaviour e.g. sucking of thumb
* being / showing insecurity
* showing fear of being with certain people
* undressing themselves in inappropriate Ares/ times
* using imaginary play to act out behaviour of sexual nature
* using sexual behaviour not usually associated with the child’s age
* using sexual language not usually associated with the child’s age
Most sexual abuse is carried out by someone the child knows
In many cases it happens in their normal daily routine e.g. bathing, bed time. Ect

The child maybe quite oblivious to what is happening and does not always realise anything unusually is happening (e.g. thinking it happens to everyone )
However some children know that what’s happening is wrong, this may end up that the child then is threatened to keep it a secret. They could be told it would break their family up or they will be taken in to care.

In some cases the children are lead to believe that the abuse is happening as a result of their own behaviour .