When Does Punishment Become Abusive?
All children must be taught acceptable behavior. They respond best when they are rewarded for positive behavior. Discipline that causes physical or emotional injury is abuse and is a violation of the law. Children do not learn good behavior from being slapped, kicked, shaken, yelled at, or shoved.

The Signs of Child Abuse:
Suspect physical abuse when you see:

• Frequent injuries such as bruises, cuts, black eyes, or burns, especially when the child cannot adequately explain their causes
• Burns or bruises in a usual pattern that may indicate the use of an instrument or a human bite: cigarette burns on any part of the body
• Frequent complaints of pain without obvious injury
• Aggressive, disruptive, and destructive behavior
• Lack of reaction to pain, passive, withdrawn, or emotionless behavior
• Fear of going home or seeing parents
• Injuries that appear after the child has not been seen for several days
• Unseasonable clothes that may hide injuries to arms or legs

Suspect neglect when you see:

• Obvious malnourishment
• Lack of personal cleanliness
• Torn and/or dirty clothes
• Obvious fatigue and listlessness
• A child unattended for long periods of time
• Need for glasses, dental care, or other medical attention
• Stealing or begging for food
• Frequent absence or tardiness from school

Suspect sexual abuse when you see:

• Physical signs of sexually- transmitted diseases
• Evidence of injury to the genital area
• Difficulty in sitting or walking
• Frequent expressions of sexual activity between adults and children
• Pregnancy in a young girl
• Extreme fear of being alone with adults of a particular sex
• Sexually suggestive, inappropriate, or promiscuous behavior
• Knowledge about sexual relations beyond what is appropriate for the child’s age
• Sexual victimization of other children

If you suspect or are told by a child of acts of abuse, you MUST report them. Please call the Family Violence Hotline at 1-800-252-5400. This is a toll-free 24 hour hotline provided by the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services.

An abused or neglected child and certain family members may qualify for assistance under the Crime Victims Counseling Program at Youth & Family Counseling Services. The Victims of Crime Act provides services to children and their families who are victims of child abuse.