1. Presenter:

2. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
You will learn about:
 The different types of abuse
 Why people don’t tell
 Where to get help
 How to help a friend

3. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Adolescents in Canada and
Around the World
 150 million girls and 73 million boys
experience sexual abuse
 Incidence of sexual abuse among aboriginal
people is as high as 80%
 1.2 million children are trafficked into
labour and prostitution each year
 10 million child refugees in the world

4. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Closer to Home
 ? child abuse investigations last year in the
Maritimes.
50,000 500
10,000 1000

5. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
The Economic Cost
 The estimated cost of child abuse in Canada is ?
dollars/ yr
500 Million 3.6 Billion
50 Million 1 Billion
* United Nations 2006 study-Violence against children can be
prevented

6. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Violence -what do we know
 There is a cycle in abusive relationships -”I am
sorry sweetheart, it will never happen again”.
 Teen dating violence is just as important to
recognize as adult domestic violence, and if left
unchecked will get worse.
 To heal, we must break the silence on abuse and
refuse to keep secrets.
 “The secret becomes both the source of fear and
the promise of safety. Abused youth carry not only
the trauma of the abuse but also the effects of the
disastrous silence”.

7. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Emotional Abuse
 It is a constant attack by an adult on a
child that makes them feel bad about
themselves.
 Emotional Abuse is the cornerstone of all
abuse and neglect. When kids are
physically or sexually abused or
neglected they are also emotionally
abused.
 Emotional Abuse often goes
unrecognized because the scars are not
visible – they are on the inside.

8. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Emotional Abuse
 Rejecting
 Degrading
 Ignoring
 Isolating
 Terrorizing
 Corrupting
 Exploiting/ Adultifying
*Remember the person who has been abused is never to blame-It’s not their fault

9. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Physical Abuse
 Is when a person in a position of power or trust
purposefully injures or threatens to injure a child or youth.
 In cases of physical abuse, 35% of caregivers had a
history of child abuse, 28% lacked social supports, 25%
had mental health problems and 25% had substance
abuse problems.
 Males who were sexually abused, are more likely to
physically abuse their dating partners. They want to
reassert their masculinity.

10. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME
 Never shake a baby
 1/3 will die
 1/3 will be OK
 1/3 will have mental/
physical delays
 Most common cause
of death in infants

11. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Sexual Abuse
 When an older child, youth or adult uses a child for his or her
sexual gratification.
 There are two different types of sexual abuse:
 Contact sexual abuse -touching, forced to touch another
person,oral sex and intercourse, kissed or held in a sexual
manner.
 Non-contact sexual abuse -shown sexual videos, listen to sexual
talk, pose for sexual pictures, watch sexual acts, or view explicit
pictures in person or on the internet.
 There is no set profile of an abuser- anyone can be an abuser. In
fact, often abusers seem really nice. Approximately 30% of sexual
offenders are youth.
*Remember that sexual abuse can happen to anyone—male or female, at any age, any race,
whether rich or poor. It is never the fault of the child or youth.They are innocent victims.

12. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Why don’t people tell?
 Fear
 Shame
 Guilt – may feel responsible
 Threats against youth or family
 Loss of gifts or money abuser may be giving
 Won't be believed
 Fear that abuse may get worse
 Feeling powerless
 May want to protect abuser
 Fear of being taken away

13. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
The Costs of Silence
 When kids feel trapped by the secret, to survive
they learn to accommodate to the abuse by using a
variety of techniques: Accommodation Syndrome
 Minimizing
 Rationalizing
 Denying
 Forgetting
 Self-labeling
 Controlling
 Physiological Defenses
 Escaping
 Sexualized Behaviour
 Dissociation

14. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Internet Exploitation
 While the internet can provide great opportunities
for learning and fun, it can also open up new ways
for people to sexually exploit and abduct kids.
 The use of internet tools such as email, chat rooms,
and instant messaging can put children and youth at
risk of encountering online predators.
 Online predators try to lure a child or youth to: reveal
personal details about themselves and family
members, send photos of themselves or to meet,
usually in a different city of country. Predators are
very skilled at luring their victims.
 One in five children are sexually solicited online.
This includes being asked to engage in sexual
activities, sexually explicit conversations, or give
personal sexual information.

15. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Physical Neglect
 When a parent does not provide those things that
are necessary for a child or adolescent to grow into
a healthy adult.
 There is no causal relationship between poverty and
neglect—there are factors in poverty that could lead
to neglect—but it is about choice.
 The person being neglected is never to blame.

16. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Where to go for HELP
 Call Kids’ Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
or www.kidshelpphone.ca
 Tell the police- Call 911
 Report the abuse to a trusted adult, refer,
reassure you friend
 If you find child pornography online, or if someone
is trying to lure you or a friend for sexual
purposes, you can submit a report to Cybertip.ca
 or call 1-866-658-9022 to report the information.
www.cybertip.ca
 www.weron2u.ca
 Don’t be part of the secret.
 * Remember, “IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT”

17. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Youth Action
We cannot go back and make a new start, but we can start again
and make a new ending.

18. I T ’ S N O T Y O U R F A U L T
Resources
 www.violencestudy.org
 www.violencestudy.org/r49
 www.rb.se/eng
 www.unicef.org/voy/
 www.unicef.org/crc/crc.htm