Abuse Types

BASIC INFORMATION ON SEXUAL ASSAULT

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sexual assault is defined as "any type of sexual activity or contact that you do not consent to. Sexual assault can happen through physical force or threats of force or if the attacker gave the victim drugs or alcohol as part of the assault. Sexual assault includes rape and sexual coercion." Sexual Assault can happen in different situations including in your home by someone you know, on a date, or by a stranger in an isolated place.

TYPES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
Molestation: Offender makes unwanted or inappropriate sexual advances towards the victim such as touching the victim's body in way that the victim does not want.
Rape: Offender coerces or force the victim to engage in vaginal, anal, and/or oral penetration. These acts without the victim's knowledge.
Incest: Sexual activity or contact between family members.
Voyeurism: Offender gains pleasure from watching victims when they are nude or private sexual acts.
Exhibitionism: Offender exposing themselves in public.
Sexual harassment Offender makes unwelcome and inappropriate sexual advances in professional or social situations.

WHAT TO DO IF SEXUALLY ASSAULTED Sexual assault is NEVER the victim's fault- no matter where or how it happened. Don't be afraid to ask for help or support. If you are assaulted, we encourage you to take the following steps: Call 911
Call someone: Call a trusted friend or family member, a crisis center or the sexual assault hotline (800-656-4673) to speak with a counselor.
If the assault was recent: Do not wash, comb, or clean any part of your body or change your clothes. Do not touch or change anything at the scene of the assault.
Go to the nearest hospital emergency room as soon as possible. The Nampa Family Justice Center has a team of nurses who are Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners. They are experienced in conducting sexual assault examinations, which include treatment for injuries, screening for possible sexually transmitted infections, and evidence collection.

RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS

• Contact the Nampa Family Justice Center at 208-475-5700
• Contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673)
• In case of an emergency please call 911

BASIC INFORMATION ON CHILD ABUSE

Child abuse is an act or failure to act on the part of a parent, guardian or caretaker. It can result in sexual abuse, exploitation, serious physical and/or emotional harm, risk of serious harm, or death of the child.

TYPES OF ABUSE
Physical abuse: Non-accidental physical injury to a child. Examples include hitting, kicking, burning, biting, etc.
Sexual abuse: Sexual contact, solicitation for sexually explicit material, exposure to sexually explicit material.
Emotional abuse: Actions and behaviors that can harm a child's emotional well-being. Things such as blaming, name-calling, demeaning, shaming, rejecting, etc.
Neglect: Failure to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, housing, medical care and/or supervision.
Drug endangerment: A child that is exposed to an environment where drugs are illegally used or possessed and puts the child at risk of abuse or harm.

REPORTING CHILD ABUSE

If you suspect a child is being abused, it is critical to get them the help he or she needs. Idaho Statute (16-1605) requires any person having reason to believe that a child under the age of 18 years has been abused, abandoned, or neglected, or who observes a child being subjected to conditions or circumstances that would reasonably result in abuse, abandonment, or neglect, report this within 24 hours. 

BASIC INFORMATION

Elder mistreatment (i.e. abuse and neglect) is defined as intentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm (whether or not harm is intended) to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who is trusted by the elder. This includes failure by a caregiver to satisfy the elder's basic needs or to protect the elder from harm. 

TYPES OF ABUSE

The abusive party may use a variety of tactics to harm an elder. 

TYPES OF ABUSE
Physical Abuse: Inflicting, or threatening to inflict, physical pain or injury on a vulnerable elder, or depriving them of a basic need.
Emotional Abuse: Inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress on an elder through verbal or nonverbal acts.
Sexual Abuse: Non-consensual sexual contact of any kind, or coercing an elder to witness sexual behaviors.
Exploitation: Illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a vulnerable elder.
Neglect: Refusal or failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care, or protection for a vulnerable elder.
Abandonment: The desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of that person.

BASIC INFORMATION

Stalking is a pattern of behavior directed at a specific individual, that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. 

• Pattern of behavior: Two or more incidents
• Fear: Must be understood contextually (for example, a flower deliver may seem wonderful to an outsider, but to a victim who has attempted to relocate and hide from his or her stalker, it is terrifying because it reveals that the stalker knows their location). It is important to note that fear is often masked by other emotions, such as irritation or anger. 

 A stalker may use a variety of tactics to insert him/herself into a victim's life.

STALKING BEHAVIORS
Surveillance: Following or monitoring the victim, either in person or virtually
Life Invasion: Repeatedly invading the victim's life or privacy by initiating unwanted contact, such as phone calls, texts, messages, emails, gifts, breaking into victim's home or vehicles when the victim wasn't around
Intimidation: Scaring the victim with threats of harm to victim, children, or pets, actually harming pets, damaging property
Interference:  Spreading rumors or publicly humiliating victim, jeopardizing the victim's job, interfering with victim's finances or housing

 

TIPS & RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS

• Trust your instincts
• Call the police if you feel you are in immediate danger
• Consider using a Stalking Incident and Behavior Log, found here
• Save evidence, such as emails, text messages, photos, postings on social networking sites
• Learn more about using technology safely, by visiting this Tech Safety Site
• Contact the Nampa Family Justice Center at 208-457-5700
• Visit the Victim Connect or SPARC websites, for more information and resources