Glossary

Ten essential elements Sacred Spaces has identified as core to developing a culture and practice of youth safeguarding.

A form of repeated, persistent, or aggressive behavior directed at an individual(s) that intends to or does cause fear, distress, or harm to another person’s body, feelings, self-esteem, or reputation. Bullying can include physical force or intimidation, insulting, teasing, humiliating, excluding, threatening, and more.

An individual primarily or secondarily responsible for caring for a youth, such as a biological, foster, or adoptive parent; a grandparent or adult sibling; or a nanny.

Anyone under the age of 18.

The group in your youth-serving organization tasked with overseeing youth safeguarding.

Report of policy violation or potential policy violation.

A process by which an individual conveys or attempts to convey that they are being or have been harmed.

A repeated pattern or extreme incident(s) of behavior that interferes with or prevents a person from accessing basic psychological needs (e.g. safety, socialization, emotional and social support, cognitive stimulation, respect) and conveys the message that a youth is worthless, defective, unloved, unwanted, endangered, primarily useful in meeting another’s needs, and/or expendable.

This definition is from the APSAC Practice Guidelines on Psychological Maltreatment.

A process of systematically gathering information to understand what is working well and identify areas for improvement.

When an adult or older youth may use seemingly innocent behaviors to gain the trust and cooperation of a youth and/or establish a relationship with a youth, the youth’s family, or the community for the purposes of their own sexual gratification.

Any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them, regardless of a person’s willingness to participate.

This definition is from StopHazing and can be found on their website at stophazing.org.

An individual who is legally required or designated by their organization to report a reasonable suspicion of youth maltreatment.

The legal or policy requirement to report instances or suspicions of maltreatment.

The failure of a person responsible for a child’s welfare to provide for a child’s basic needs or to protect from harm to the degree that the child’s health, safety, or well-being are threatened. Signs of possible neglect may include a child who frequently comes to school unkempt or with a body odor, a child with an obvious medical need that is not being addressed, a child who hoards or steals food, or a child who is seldom dressed appropriately for the weather. These signs are also potential indicators of poverty. Parents/caregivers who cannot provide for children as a result of poverty are not committing neglect but may need supportive services. Youth-serving organizations should be trained to determine the difference.

When an adult inflicts non-accidental physical force that has a substantial risk of causing, or does cause, bodily injury or emotional trauma. Physical force between children can also be abusive. Physical abuse injuries can include bruises, broken bones, burns, and abrasions. Children experience minor injuries as a normal part of childhood, usually in places such as shins, knees, and elbows. When injuries are found in the soft-tissue areas on the child’s abdomen or back, or when they do not seem to be typical childhood injuries, the possibility of abuse should be explored.

The following signs are not absolutes but are commonly associated with abuse by a parent or other caregiver:

• Injuries the youth or parent cannot adequately explain.
• Injuries on a youth who has been absent from school or school activities.
• Fear of going home with or to parents/caregivers (particularly if the fear is ongoing or repeated).*

*This section on physical abuse was adapted from How to Protect your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide (developed by the Boy Scouts of America in collaboration with the National Child Protection Training, which is now a program of Zero Abuse Project).

When a child is abused in one way, they are often abused in multiple ways. Indeed, approximately two-thirds of maltreated children are violated in at least two ways*. This is called “polyvictimization,” and it underscores the need to pay attention to all forms of abuse. Signs of trauma, such as a child running away from home, are more strongly associated with polyvictims than children violated in one way.

*David Finkelhor, Heather Turner, Sherry Hamby and Richard Ormrod, Polyvictimization: Children’s Exposure to Multiple Types of Violence, Crime, and Abuse, National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (OJJDP/CDC October 2011).

Those affected by the abuse of primary victims, such as family members or friends of the primary victim.

Any occurrence in which an adult engages a child in sexual activity. Types of sexual activity include but are not limited to:

• Involving Physical Contact
  • Kissing
  • Fondling
  • Self-stimulation
  • Use of mouth on genitalia
  • Any penetration of genitalia
  • Other sexual contact, such as stroking or massaging a child in the private areas of the body

• Not Involving Physical Contact
  • Sexual communication (whether verbal or written, including by telephone, text message, email, or social media)
  • Voyeurism (spying on private or intimate behaviors, such as those involving undressing, nudity, or sexual activity)
  • Exposure to pornography or other explicit material
  • Exposing part or all of an adult or child’s undressed body (except as necessary for caregiving or medical purposes)
  • Using a child for personal sexual desires or depicting a child in any sexual materials (photos, videos, social media, etc.)
  • Any activity intended to abuse, degrade, arouse, or gratify adult desires

Sexual activity between youths can also be abusive; some indicators that an interaction may be abusive include a significant disparity in age, development, or size; if one youth is in a position of responsibility, trust, or power over the other; if one youth is unconscious; or if coercion is used.

Strategies that acknowledge and address the effects of trauma on an individual’s wellbeing.

The term “victim” is preferred by some because it clearly communicates the harm perpetrated. Others prefer “survivor” because it reclaims some of the power taken and communicates resiliency. Yet others use the term “thriver” to communicate thriving despite the maltreatment experienced. Some individuals eschew any of these labels. Best practice when referring to specific individuals who have experienced childhood maltreatment is to use their preferred term, which may include using no label. Because on a web platform we are unable to defer to individuals’ wishes, we use the hyphenated “victim-survivor,” recognizing that this term does not resonate universally.

“Child/Youth maltreatment” encompasses multiple types of harm, including:

• Child Abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Physical abuse
  • Emotional abuse
  • Spiritual abuse
• Neglect
• Harassment
• Bullying
• Hazing

Polyvictimization, or the experience of multiple victimizations of different types (such as both sexual and physical abuse) is common. Research on adverse childhood experiences found that of those who experienced at least one category of abuse, 87% also experienced a second category of abuse (ACE study, CDC, 1998). Other studies have shown that 66% of maltreated children are abused in at least two ways, 30% are abused in at least 5 ways, and 10% endure 11 or more types of abuse (Finkelhor et al., 2011).

Thus, our use of the term “maltreatment” is meant to acknowledge the many types of abuse youth may suffer. It also underscores the fact that protecting a youth from one form of abuse (such as sexual abuse) often protects the youth from additional forms of abuse (such as physical abuse or neglect).

Protecting youth from maltreatment.

An organization that provides services or programs to youth, including schools, camps, synagogues, community centers, youth groups, and other informal clubs, teams or organizations.