Truth That Hurts......
The colors of Abuse
is amusing to who?
Not me, not you
and it's the very link to
what becomes us,
Mentally,,,,
I can fix you,
can you fix me?
Module 4, Activity 4F
Definitions of Different Trauma Types
1. Sexual Abuse or Assault
n NOTE: If perpetrator is in a caretaking role for youth, event is classified as
sexual abuse. Sexual contact/exposure by others (i.e., non-caretakers) is
classified as sexual assault/rape.
n Actual or attempted sexual contact (e.g., fondling; genital contact; penetration,
etc.) and/or exposure to age-inappropriate sexual material or environments (e.g.,
print, internet or broadcast pornography; witnessing of adult sexual activity) by an
adult to a minor child.
n Sexual exploitation of a minor child by an adult for the sexual gratification or
financial benefit of the perpetrator (e.g., prostitution; pornography; orchestration of
sexual contact between two or more minor children).
n Unwanted or coercive sexual contact or exposure between two or more minors.
2. Physical Abuse or Assault
n NOTE: If perpetrator is in a caretaking role for youth, event is classified as
physical abuse. Sexual contact/exposure by others (i.e., non-caretakers) is
classified as physical assault.
n Actual or attempted infliction of physical pain (e.g., stabbings; bruising; burns;
suffocation) by an adult, another child, or group of children to a minor child with
or without use of an object or weapon and including use of severe corporeal
punishment.
n Does not include rough and tumble play or developmentally normative fighting
between siblings or peers of similar age and physical capacity (e.g., assault of a
physically disabled child by a non-disabled same-aged peer would be included in
this category of trauma exposure).
3. Emotional Abuse/Psychological Maltreatment
n Acts of commission against a minor child, other than physical or sexual abuse,
that caused or could have caused conduct, cognitive, affective or other mental
disturbance. These acts include:
a. Verbal abuse (e.g., insults; debasement; threats of violence)Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit: Trauma Types |
March 2008 2
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
www.NCTSN.org
b. Emotional abuse (e.g., bullying; terrorizing; coercive control)
c. Excessive demands on a child’s performance (e.g., scholastic; athletic;
musical; pageantry) that may lead to negative self-image and disturbed
behavior
n Acts of omission against a minor child that caused or could have caused conduct,
cognitive, affective or other mental disturbance. These include:
a. Emotional neglect (e.g., shunning; withdrawal of love)
b. Intentional social deprivation (e.g., isolation; enforced separation from a
parent, caregiver or other close family member)
4. Neglect
n Failure by the child victim’s caretaker(s) to provide needed, age-appropriate care
although financially able to do so, or offered financial or other means to do so.
Includes:
a. Physical neglect (e.g., deprivation of food, clothing, shelter)
b. Medical neglect (e.g., failure to provide child victim with access to needed
medical or mental health treatments and services; failure to consistently
disperse or administer prescribed medications or treatments (e.g., insulin shots)
c. Educational neglect (e.g., withholding child victim from school; failure to attend
to special educational needs; truancy)
5. Serious Accident or Illness/Medical Procedure
n UNINTENTIONAL injury or accident such as car accident, house fire, serious
playground injury, or accidental fall down stairs (accident caused intentionally by
another would be classified as Physical Abuse or Assault).
n Having a physical illness or experiencing medical procedures that are extremely
painful and/or life threatening. Examples of illnesses include AIDS or cancer. Medical
procedures include changing burn dressings or undergoing chemotherapy, etc.
6. Witness to Domestic Violence
n Exposure to emotional abuse, actual/attempted physical or sexual assault, or
aggressive control perpetrated between a parent/caretaker and another adult in
the child victim’s home environment.Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit: Trauma Types |
March 2008
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
www.NCTSN.org
n Exposure to any of the above acts perpetrated by an adolescent against one or
more adults (e.g., parents, grandparent) in the child victim’s home environment.
7. Victim/Witness to Community Violence
n Extreme violence in the community (i.e., neighborhood violence). Includes exposure
to gang-related violence (e.g., drive-by-shootings).
8. School Violence
n Violence that occurs in a school setting. It includes, but is not limited to, school
shootings, bullying, interpersonal violence among classmates, classmate suicide.
9. Natural or Manmade Disasters
n
Major accident or disaster that is an unintentional result of a manmade or natural
event (e.g., tornado, nuclear reactor explosion).
n Does NOT include disasters that are intentionally caused (e.g., Oklahoma City
Bombing, bridge collapsing due to intentional damage), which would be classified
as acts of terrorism/political violence.
10. Forced Displacement
n Forced relocation to a new home due to political reasons. Generally includes
political asylees or immigrants fleeing political persecution. Refugees or political
asylees who were forced to move and were exposed to war may be classified here
and also under war/terrorism/political violence.
11. War/Terrorism/Political Violence
n Exposure to acts of war/terrorism/political violence. Includes U.S. incidents such
as the Oklahoma City bombing, the / attacks, or anthrax deaths. Includes
incidents outside of the U.S. such as bombing, shooting, looting, or accidents that
are a result of terrorist activity (e.g., bridge collapsing due to intentional damage,
hostages who are injured during captivity). Includes actions of individuals acting in
isolation (i.e., sniper attacks, school shootings) if they are considered political in
nature.Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit: Trauma Types |
March 2008
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
www.NCTSN.org
12. Victim/Witness to Extreme Personal/Interpersonal Violence
n Includes extreme violence by or between individuals that has not been reported
elsewhere (hence, if the child witnessed domestic violence, this should be
recorded as Witness to Domestic Violence and NOT repeated here).
n Intended to include exposure to homicide, suicide and other similar extreme events.
13. Traumatic Grief/Separation
n Death of a parent, primary caretaker or sibling.
n Abrupt, unexpected, accidental or premature death or homicide of a close friend,
family member, or other close relative.
n Abrupt, unexplained and/or indefinite separation from a parent, primary caretaker,
or sibling due to circumstances beyond the child victim’s control (e.g., contentious
divorce, parental incarceration, or parental hospitalization). Does not include
placement in foster care.
14. System-Induced Trauma
n Traumatic removal from the home, traumatic foster placement, sibling separation,
or multiple placements in a short amount of time.
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/cwt3_sho_definitions.pdf
