Parenting Tips - Behavioral Signs That A Child Has Been Molested

Karen Kay Imagawa, MD shares advice for parents on the behavioral signs that may indicate that your child has been molested or sexually abused.

Dr. Karen Imagawa is a Director, Audrey Hepburn CARES Center, Director, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Program, Division of General Pediatrics; Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Karen Kay Imagawa, MD, is also the Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at USC's Keck School of Medicine and is a full-time attending within the Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics, at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). She received her medical degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, and is board certified in General Pediatrics, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, and Child Abuse Pediatrics.

INSTAGRAM: Kidsinthehouse

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[tobierenee]

I was touched when I was six, and I never told my parents up until now. It's been 11 years since it passed, but the event is still fresh in my mind.

[halfbakedpotatoes]

i was sexually abused from 5 to 14 years old by a close family member, i am 20 now and it still makes me cry when i think about it… to think that i was an innocent child that just wants to be close to the people that i look up to turns into me being sexually taken advantage of, and i couldn’t tell anyone else because everyone in my family look up to him… he also would buy me stuff and make me feel like i was seen but then he would sometimes ignore or be mad at me for no reason and when that happens i would feel obligated to be more attentive and listen to what he said, he would also convince me that everything he does is normal… it’s been so long and i still can’t help but feel disgusted and sad at what happened and im trying my best to heal from all of this. i hope people who have been going through sexual abuse or abuse in general can survive and heal.

[monicapyle]

I hate it when people question victims because they wait years, sometimes decades, to come forward. I was sexually abused for years when I was in high school by one of my dad's friends and waited 23 years to come forward because it's embarrassing and shameful and I sometimes wonder if it's my fault. When I finally did tell my dad what happened to me, he said "well I guess you liked it because you continued to hang out with him". My dad and I don't talk much anymore 😔
EDIT - please don't listen to the person in the replies. It is NOT your fault. You didn't bring it on yourself. Find someone trusted you can speak to, so you can start the healing process. ❤️

[lloyannehurd]

There are other signs as well. Children will draw large circles or get a hoop and sit inside the circle as if to draw a boundary around themselves. They can’t sleep without a light on. They insist on sitting with their backs against a wall. They will ask if any form of play you introduce is ‘a secret’. They will speak of themselves as a bad girl or boy as if it is a part of themselves they can’t erase or improve. They think of the self as different. They’ll take baths in bleach. They’ll make excuses for people’s behaviour as if covering for them. It will be noticeable that a caregiver will blame them for things another child did. They’ll be the least popular child in the family and won’t allow outsiders to defend them.

[anna]

I used to be molested when i was 12. I didn't know who did that. It may be was my cousin or my uncle. I was too afraid to even just look at the face back then. I thought i forgot it already until 18 years later, it affected my entire life. My whole life i have been always trying to hide myself cause i feel like someone is going to abuse me again if i "show up". It also ruined my career, too. I just remembered it again today and will talk to an expert tomorrow. Please, please, please take a good care of your child. They could be abused by literally anyone, even their own family. Educate them about what to do when things like this happen to them.

[luypants]

I think a teen who's been molested may start acting inappropriately towards younger children as well.

[theilliad]

Dude, was I molested?! I can’t remember my years before 5 or 6 but I had all these signs during those times

[amberlocsaknot]

Horrible that I exhibited all of these signs and told about my abuse but was labeled as a liar and pushed under a fu$k!*g It's been 17 years "since the grooming happened" and I still can't get over the fact that my PARENTS NEVER BELIEVED ME!! I even told my mom as an adult after watching an episode of forensic files where there was a 9edo turned murdere? and everyone talked about how they NEVER would have thought he did those vile looked at my mom and said it's the people you would never didn't mention my uncle but I'll be damned if she didn't get that I meant I never lied!!! I never lied about it other than to cover it up! To tell the truth I did once to my mom and she said, your uncle who wouldn't do that.... I was 15 when I told the truth and was never believed, sorry for the long post but it still affects me 18 years later.

[JJ]

This is what I thought. I've been trying to tell my Director this. But no one wants to do anything about this 3 yr old boy with autism who is displaying sexual behavior such as masterbation and touching other children. It's just sad!

[AnnaLVajda]

But why are children being exposed then to pornography? I don't see that as less than abusive either if that is the case.

[elijahwilson]

Don't ever keep porn around in a home with small children because not only will they likely act on things they see. It also opens them up to being convinced by their abusers that since those in the film or magazine are doing that stuff. That it is okay for the abuser and the child to as well, it's well known pornography is used by molestors in this very manner. I know this for a fact because the individual that abused me as a child showed me porn too

[benaiah]

I told my dad just recently. It really changed everything to tell someone.

[Sunflare-vquy]

I'm very sorry for the people who went through this.

[vornm]

I used to wet the bed or fear using the bathroom when I was a child.

[KarenHayes-unox]

If you have friends that can"t be messed with all the better it"s probably the only way.bless our mothers.

[dashdoll]

This is so scary my baby never seen or been exposed to sexual behavior now she is showing signs I’m really freaking out 😰😰😰😰

[DemeshiaParker]

Biting nails, blocking up the door before I went to bed

[nasimagdam]

thank you. i didn't think i was molested, but this confirms it.

[AnUnnaturalNaturalDisaster]

I wish I knew. It hurts so much not to know.

[berrybonds]

This makes more sense. This person that was in place to be the dad of both my brothers and myself. I can honestly say that his behaviors are identical to why my brothers find theirself different from anyone else. And myself.