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What is Child Abuse?
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Amy is a nationally recognized expert in the area of child abuse cases. |
| Child abuse is when an adult hurts a child and it is not by accident. There are four kinds of child abuse:
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- Physical abuse is when an adult hurts you by hitting or beating you.
- Emotional abuse is when an adult says things that make you feel like a bad person.
- Neglect is when an adult hurts you by keeping food, care, and shelter away from you.
- Sexual abuse is when an adult touches the private parts of your body or has you touch the private parts of his or her body. It can also happen if an adult tries to get you to take off your clothes or kisses you in a way that scares you. Everyone likes to be hugged or touched by someone he or she cares for, but some kinds of touching are not good for you. If you aren’t sure if a touch is good or bad, talk to an adult you trust about it.
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| ***Even if you have done something bad, that does not make it okay for an adult to hurt you!*** |
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| Who Abuses Kids? |
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Heather Chavez is a well respected child abuse prosecutor in the 3rd DA's Office.
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Most adults care about kids and never abuse them, but some adults lose their tempers or can’t control themselves. Sometimes strangers abuse kids, but sometimes kids are abused by someone they know—a friend of the family, a neighbor, a teacher, a minister, or even a parent or step-parent. |
| Why Would Someone Abuse a Kid? |
| An adult who abuses children has a problem and needs to get help to stop hurting kids. Even nice people can do bad things. Sometimes it is hard to believe that someone we love, or someone who is nice can hurt kids. |
Is it My Fault if This Happens to Me? |
No. Some kids blame themselves, but it is the adult who must be blamed. Adults might tell you that you are bad and the abuse is your fault. But no matter what, if you are ever abused, it is never your fault. |
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How Can I Stop It? |
The way to stop abuse is to talk about it. Child abuse is against the law. Even if the abuse only happens once or seems like it is over, it is important to tell someone you trust.
Child abusers may tell kids that something bad will happen if they ever tell anyone. If the abuser is a family member, kids may be afraid the family will break apart if they tell the secret. You should not keep it a secret.
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Will Anyone Believe Me? |
Yes. There are adults who will believe you and who will help you. Some adults may not want to believe that you have been abused. If an adult tells you to forget about it, tell someone else.
Keep telling until someone listens! |
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What Will Happen to the Abuser if I Tell? |
The abuser may get the kind of help he or she needs to stop hurting children. A person who abuses children needs help. Most abusers need special counseling. If the abuser is someone in your family, you may see less of him or her for a while. Because child abuse is against the law, some abusers may go to jail.
If an abuser goes to jail, it is his or her fault—not yours!
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Contact the DA:
Phone: (575) 524-6370
Fax: (575) 524-6379
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Copyright (c) 2011, All Rights Reserved
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845 North Motel Blvd. Ste D
Las Cruces, NM 88007
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