Definitions of Child Abuse
How do I recognize child abuse?
Why should I report child abuse?
I'm not sure if this situation is serious enough to report
How do I report suspected child abuse?
Who must report suspicions of child abuse?
Are there penalties for a mandated reporter who fails to report child abuse?
If the allegation of child abuse cannot be proven, will I get into trouble for making the report?
What should I do if a child tells me about abuse?
As a parent, what can I do to prevent child abuse?
Where can I learn more about child abuse?
Minnesota state statutes describe physical and sexual abuse, neglect and endangerment. In general, they can be described this way:
Physical abuse is any act(s) which results in non-accidental injuries to a child including patterns of unexplained injuries and injuries that appear to have been caused in a manner inconsistent with the explanation. Physical abuse includes unreasonably restraining a child with tying, caging or chaining and excessive or unreasonably forceful discipline that leave injuries or marks on a child. Physical abuse is also defined as assaultive behavior not usually associated with discipline such as shaking, kicking, cutting and burning.
Sexual abuse is any act(s) of sexual assault or sexual exploitation of a child including intentional touching of the child’s intimate parts; causing the child to touch the abuser’s intimate parts; sexual intercourse, anal intercourse, fellatio and cunnilingus; any intrusion into the genital or anal opening of the child; or causing any intrusion into the genital or anal opening of the abuser by the child.
Neglect is the failure of a parent to provide for the child’s physical, emotional, medical and educational well being. Minnesota law states that a parent or caretaker who willfully deprives a child of necessary food, clothing, shelter, health care, or supervision appropriate to the child's age, when the parent is reasonably able to make the necessary provisions and the deprivation harms or is likely to substantially harm the child's physical, mental, or emotional health is guilty of neglect of a child. A parent who knowingly fails to protect a child from continuing physical or sexual abuse is also guilty of neglect.
Endangerment is when a parent of caretaker intentionally or recklessly causes or permits a child to be placed in a situation likely to substantially harm the child's physical, mental, or emotional health or cause the child's death including allowing a child to be present where illegal drugs are being made, kept, sold or used and recklessly allowing a child under 14 years of age access to a loaded firearm.
Signs of physical abuse include unexplained or unreasonable bruises, burns, cuts, abrasions and broken bones. Patterned marks made by objects like belts, cords, teeth, handprints, and clothes or curling irons can be strongly indicative of physical abuse especially when combined with a child’s description of how the injury was inflicted. Another strong indicator of child abuse is an explanation for injuries that would be unusual in a given age group. For example, a broken arm or leg in a four-month old child is blamed on a fall down the stairs.
The best indicator of sexual abuse is a disclosure by the child regarding the sexual activity. Other indicators may be a detailed, age-inappropriate knowledge of sexual acts, changes in established behaviors like sleeping, eating and toileting, complaints of genital pain or irritation, and infection with a sexually transmitted disease.
Neglect can be indicated by a child who is chronically dirty or dressed inappropriately for the weather, a child who is frequently hungry or sleepy and reports being unable to eat or sleep regularly at home, a child who does not attend school regularly or one who has not been enrolled in school, a child who remains untreated or is treated inappropriately for a medical problem or a child who describes being left alone and unable to care for himself.
A good indicator of endangerment is a description by a child of events that may place him in danger such as being involved in a physical, domestic fight between adults in the home, seeing illegal drugs being used or sold or having access to loaded guns kept in the home.
The most important reason to report child abuse is to protect the child from further abuse. Children have few resources for changing the circumstances of their lives and children who are being hurt by their caretakers rely on the intervention of others to protect them. Reporting abuse is also a way to ensure that parents who need help but are not able to ask for it are offered parenting resources.
Describe the situation to child protection or the police. Remember that often the most serious abuse occurs in private and away from anyone but the children involved. What you have seen or heard may be only the tip of the iceberg.
The Minneapolis Police Department and Hennepin County Child Protection are the two agencies charged with receiving reports of child abuse occurring in Minneapolis. These agencies are also responsible for the joint investigation of child abuse allegations. You may report suspicions of child abuse to the Minneapolis Police Department 24 hours a day by calling 911. The operator will ask you to describe the circumstances and then dispatch a squad to take a report. You may also call Hennepin County Child Protection at 612-348-3552. An intake worker is available 24 hours a day to take reports.
When reporting suspicions of child abuse, be prepared to provide information as much information as you have including the names and addresses of the child and parents and specific data about what happened, who was involved, and when and where the events took place. Other helpful information is what school the child attends, who else might have information about the child’s situation, where the child is now and the names of siblings or other members of the household.
Any report made to the Minneapolis Police Department will automatically be reported to Hennepin County Child Protection, as any report made to HC Child Protection will be sent to the Minneapolis Police Department. This is included in the Minnesota State Statutes outlining requirements for child abuse investigations. However, there are often times when it is most appropriate to call the police to make the initial report.
- If you believe a child is in imminent danger of injury, death or sexual abuse, call 911 and describe the situation to the operator with as much detail as you can. The police have the ability to remove a child from a dangerous situation while a child protection investigation is completed.
- If you believe that a child has injuries that need medical attention, call 911 and provide as much information as possible. The operator may dispatch paramedics and the police to insure that the child receives needed medical care.
- If you believe that the child would not be safe returning or remaining at home, call 911. The police can make arrangements for the temporary care of a child when his home is unsafe.
- If a child has disclosed a sexual assault incident that occurred within the last 72 hours, call 911 for the police to respond. The officers will make a report and arrange for a medical exam to collect any physical evidence of the assault. It is very important to alert the police promptly because as time passes, the chance of obtaining physical evidence diminishes. In the case of a sexual assault that occurred outside of the 72-hour window, calling 911 for a police response is still appropriate as the officers will take the report to begin an investigation.
Minnesota law requires that any person whose job involves working professionally with children and who knows or has reason to believe that a child is being neglected or physically or sexually abused shall
Yes. Minnesota law requires reporting by mandated reporters who know or have reason to believe that a child is being abused or has been abused within the past three years. A mandated reporter who fails to make a report under those circumstances is guilty of a misdemeanor.
No, you will not. Anyone reporting in good faith (with a reasonable belief) may not be criminally prosecuted or sued in civil court for libel, slander, defamation, invasion of privacy, or breach of confidentiality. A person who knowingly or recklessly makes a false report is not protected from prosecution or civil suit.
- Be calm. If you appear to be angry, upset or very emotional, the child will be frightened.
- Let the child tell you about that happened in his own words and then reassure him that you believe him.
- Tell the child that he is not in trouble and that he did the right thing to tell you about what happened.
- Tell the child that you want to make sure that he will be safe. Let him know that you are going to get help so that this doesn’t happen again.
- Report what the child told you to the police or child protection.
- Practice disciplining your children in a calm, thoughtful way. Give yourself time to cool off rather than punishing in anger. Show your children ways that conflicts can be resolved with words rather than hitting or hurting.
- Talk with your children everyday and listen carefully to what they say about their lives. Be alert to changes in their behavior or emotions and talk calmly with them if you are concerned.
- Teach your children that their bodies are their own and that they can say no to touches that feel bad or confusing. Talk with them about privacy to help them learn good boundaries and reassure them that it is ok to say no to things that violate their privacy – even if they are saying no to an adult.
- Teach your children to tell you if they are approached, talked to or touched in a way that hurts, scares or confuses them. Reassure them that you will not be angry with them, but want to help them stay safe.
- Help your children think about what they would do if something confusing or scary happened to them. Talk about different scenarios or play the "what if" game. This will help them identify ways to help themselves be safe and to think about the adults they can turn to for help in different places such as school, the park, the library, and church.
I don't want to make my children fearful by talking about sexual abuse or I don't want to talk to my children about sexual abuse because they are too young. Is it really necessary?
Unfortunately, sexual abuse is not as uncommon as we would like to think it is. It affects both girls and boys of all ages, from every kind of neighborhood and of all races. Studies have found that about one of every four girls and one of every eight boys has reported incidents of sexual abuse. In 85% of reported sexual abuse cases, the offender is known to the child as a friend, relative or neighbor.
Talking with children about the privacy of their bodies and what are appropriate kinds of touching is a precaution like teaching them to cross the street safely, wear seatbelts and not play with matches. Teaching kids good boundaries helps to keep them safe. Not talking about these issues, won’t make them go away.
Teaching young children that their bodies are private doesn’t have to be about sex. It can be as simple as reminding children that the parts of their bodies covered by a swimsuit are private.
If you would like more information about recognizing and reporting child abuse, please call the Minneapolis Police Department, Central Investigations Department at (612) 673-2941 between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 p.m. The receptionist will connect you with a child abuse investigator.
For more information on the web, here are links to several sites with resources for parents, teachers and anyone interested in preventing child abuse.
Last updated Sep. 27, 2011