Possible Indicators of Sexual Abuse

Preschool and Elementary School Age	Adolescent
Sexual knowledge beyond developmental age - sexual acting out with peers, toys, adults; sexual language or recounting of incidents	Sexual acting out
Regression - thumbsucking, bedwetting, inappropriate bowel movements, baby talk	Withdrawal from peers
Sexual themes in art work and stories	Prostitution
Withdrawal from peers	Suicide attemps
Resistance to being with someone	Self mutilation
Inability to concentrate	Inability to concentrate
Overt seductive behavior	Substance abuse
Fear of touch	Chronic running away
Mutilation	Coming to school early and staying as late as possible
Complaints of pain in genital area	Physical complaints with no apparent self somatic basis - sore throats, stomach aches
Scratching of genital area	Truancy
Somatic complaints - sore throats, stomach aches with no physical basis	Drop in academic performance
Sudden loss or gain in appetite	Over eating or under eating
Difficulty in walking or sitting	Compulsive lying
Crying with no apparent provocation	Promiscuity or opposite extreme
Fear of dark, sleeping in own room	Agressive behavior
Agressive behavior	Tells of assault
Nightmares
Tells of assault

Distributed by Assault Crisis Center, Ypsilanti, MI