Trauma 1
What is Trauma?
A trauma is a very distressing or upsetting event that can impact how we view the world.
What are some feelings a child, teen or adult might have when they are in an unsafe situation?
Scared, worried, sad, terrified!
What are coping skills?
Things you can do to calm your body down
-Kids and teens may experience emotions that can be very confusing and hard to understand at times.
-Some kids may love the person who did it, some kids may feel mad, afraid or scared.
-Some kids feel guilty or sad.
-Its okay to have lots of different feelings about abuse.
Did you know that talking about these feelings help kids and teens feel better?
Is it ever the child's fault when they have been abused?
No! It's never the chil'd fault when someone abuses them.
Why don't some children tell about being sexually abused?
-Sometimes the offender tells the child it's a "secret"
-Sometimes the person will make threats like "I'll hurt you" or "I'll hurt our Mom" if you tell.
-Sometimes kids don't tell because they are embarassed or afraid they'll get into trouble.
-Sometimes they are worried about what will happen next.
What type of skills help you to stay calm when you have become very emotional?
Coping skills
Is abuse or trauma common?
Yes, 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday.
What does physical abuse mean?
Physical abuse means that an adult who is supposed to care for and protect a child injures the child by beating the child, throwing the child, shaking the child or hurting them physically in some other way.
What is domestic violence?
Domestic violence is when children have witness violence between their parents or their parent and someone else including yelling and fighting in a room nearby. This can happen when disagreements happen between people but this does not mean its okay.
What are some examples of trauma?
Car accidents, environmental disasters like tornados, hurricanes or earthquakes, physical, sexual and emotional abuse, illness or death of a loved one.
What could you do if anyone touches you with a not okay touch?
Tell a trusted adult.
Do people who experience trauma/ abuse know their abusers?
Yes, 95% of offenders (sexual) are known to the person. Only 5% are strangers.
How do most children/teens feel when adults are fighting each other.
Scared, afraid, and terrified.
What are some activities you can do to help yourself relax when you are feeling anxious?
Coping skills like deep breathing, relaxation, music, writing, art, reading or playing a game.
- Avoid people, places, thoughts or memories of the event.
- Become very aware of their surroundings.
- Feel angry really quickly without understanding why
What are some feelings/ reactions children and teens might have after experiencing trauma or abuse?
- Scary memories/dreams
- Feeling jumpy/nervous or angry.
-Watching out for danger or worrying about bad things happening.
-Trouble sleeping or paying attention in school.
-NOT wanting to talk about what happened (although memories com back).
-Heart racing, stomach ache, upset (when reminded of trauma).
-Empty/ numb, or use substances to forget
What is the best way to let someone know how you feel?
Talk to them. Tell them. Write a letter.
What can children do if they are feeling sad or scared, even if they no longer live with the person who abused them?
-Talk to a trust adult or family member about how it feels
-Do things that make them feel happy such as drawing, reading, playing games, playing sports or spending time with people who love them.
True or False: Talking about trauma is easy?
False. Talking about trauma can be uncomfortable, stressful and difficult. But we know that by talking about it in a comfortable and safe space helps children get better!
Who sexually abuses children?
-It's hard to undnerstand why anyone would sexually abuse children. Some adults have sexual feeligns for children which most people don't have.
-Some offenders choose to sexually abuse a child even if they know its wrong.
-Even though there are some people who sexually abuse children, there are many more who only touch kids with ok touches.
What type of children experience abuse?
There are no types of children. Any person, of any race, from any country, rich or poor can experience abuse.
What is Sexual Abuse?
-Sexual abuse is when someone older than you touches or rubs your private parts or asks you to touch their private parts.
-It can also includes thigns that don't involve touching, such as talking about private parts, showing private parts or pictures of them, or making a child do things with his/her own private parts.
Are there a lot of children who are physically abused?
Yes, hundreds of thousands of children aer physically abused each year.
How can children respond to sexual or physical abuse?
If you feel uncomfortable you can say "NO!", leave and get away from the pesron and TELL a trusted adult what happened.