When  a  child  is  abused,  the  effects  are  grave  and  can last a lifetime. Some of the most common effects of abuse include:

When a child is abused, the effects are grave and can

• Loss of faith and trust in God.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological distress, and other indirect signs of trauma, such as anxiety, trouble sleeping, chronic stomach pain, and headaches.
• A greater risk of developing behavioral problems, substance abuse, and suicide.The sense of violation goes deep into a person’s psyche and feelings of anger, shame, hurt, and betrayal can build long after the abuse has taken place.

You can find more resources from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Visit USCCB Abuse Prevention Site

Communicate with Your Children

It is extremely important to communicate openly with your  children.  Let  them  know  that  they  can  talk  to  you  about  anything  that  bothers  them.  This  will  help  you  identify  warning  signs  and  grooming  behaviors  perpetrated by offenders before they escalate to abuse.

Educate Yourself and Your Children on Abuse

Learning  how  to  identify,  prevent,  and  report  abuse  is  key.  Parents  and  guardians  should  empower  their  children   to   protect   themselves   from   harm   and   to   report  abuse.  Ask  your  diocesan  safe  environment  coordinator or parish delegate about opportunities for safe environment training.

Identify and Report Warning Signs of Child Abusers

Grooming behaviors are the actions abusers take to project the image that they are kind, generous, caring people, while their intent is to lure a minor into an inappropriate relationship. Offenders can be patient and may groom their victim, his or her family, or community for years. Some abusers isolate a potential victim by giving him or her undue attention or lavish gifts, while others allow young people to participate in activities which their parents or guardians would not approve, such as watching pornography, drinking alcohol, using drugs, and excessive touching, such as wrestling and tickling. Abusers also often try to isolate their victims from family or friends and encourage their victims to keep secrets from their parents or other caring adults.

To help hold offenders accountable, report all suspected abuse to local public authorities. You can also contact your local diocesan victim assistance coordinator to make a report and seek outreach for the abused. In accordance with diocesan policy, when a single act of sexual abuse is admitted or established, the offender is to be removed permanently from ministry.

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“Let it be clear that before these abominations the Church will spare no effort to do all that is necessary to bring to justice whosoever has committed such crimes . . . To those who abuse minors I would say this: convert and hand yourself over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice.”

— Pope Francis, Dec. 21, 2018