Abuse and Teens
Sexual abuse doesn’t just happen to young children. Teenagers can be victims of abuse, too, and it can happen to both boys and girls. Research shows that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they turn eighteen. If you’re a teenager in need of help, or you know one that is, contact the Division for Children, Youth & Families or your local police. If you’re unsure of what to do, you can always contact us.
Physical abuse may be any kind of hitting, shaking, burning, pinching, biting, choking, throwing, beating, and other actions that cause physical injury, leave marks, or produce significant physical pain.
Sexual abuse is any type of sexual contact between an adult and anyone younger than 18. Sexual abuse can range from intercourse, touching, viewing of pornography or other forced sexual acts. If a family member sexually abuses another family member, this is called incest. There are many behaviors that can be considered sexual abuse:
- being told to touch parts of your own body
- having parts of your body touched in a sexual way
- being kissed in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
- being made to touch parts of another person’s body
- being made to watch someone masturbate or touch their body in a sexual way
- being made to act or model for pornographic purposes
- being made to watch pornographic material
- being watched while showering or changing
- putting objects in the anus, mouth or vagina
- making you have sex, or do sexual things with other people
- making sexual comments and suggestions to you
- sending sexual comments or suggestions to you via text or email.
