Any inappropriate sexual contact, exposure, or behaviour involving a child.

Examples include:

• Inappropriate touching or being touched inappropriately

• Being exposed to sexual content, images, or adult sexual behaviour

• Being photographed or filmed in sexual situations

• Verbal sexual comments or "jokes" directed at you as a child

• Being forced or coerced into sexual acts

• Inappropriate boundaries around privacy, bathing, or changing

Sexual Abuse by Other Children: Sexual abuse perpetrated by another child often feels different at the time - it may seem more exploratory or normalised because the age gap is closer. However, it's important to recognise that there's often still a power imbalance between the children involved, and the harm done is real regardless of the perpetrator's age.

Just because the perpetrator was young and may have had limited understanding themselves doesn't make them less of a perpetrator - there are simply different layers to their identity, experience, and intentions. In our therapeutic work, we acknowledge these nuances whilst focusing primarily on the impact those actions have had on you.

Protective Narratives: Many survivors develop protective narratives around their experiences: "If it wasn't that harmful, then I'm not broken. If I'm not broken, then I have a future and I'm whole." We acknowledge and work with these protective narratives, understanding that they served a purpose whilst also exploring how the experiences may have affected you, even if the harm wasn't immediately apparent at the time.

Any intentional physical harm or threat of harm to a child.

Examples include:

• Hitting, slapping, punching, or kicking beyond reasonable discipline

• Throwing objects at you or threatening to hurt you physically

• Burning, biting, or other forms of physical harm

• Withholding food, water, or medical care as punishment

• Physical restraint that goes beyond safety needs

• Threatening violence even if not carried out

This is violence. Emotional abuse is not "less than" physical or sexual abuse - it causes profound and lasting harm to a child's developing sense of self and worth.

Examples include:

• Persistent criticism, humiliation, or verbal attacks

• Name-calling, insults, or being told you're worthless, stupid, or unwanted

• Threats of abandonment ("I'm going to leave you here")

• Extreme controlling behaviour or isolation from friends and activities

• Using guilt, shame, or fear to manipulate your behaviour

• Withholding love or affection as punishment

• Comparing you negatively to others consistently

• Dismissing or invalidating your emotions ("You're too sensitive")

• Gaslighting - making you question your own reality or memories

Exposure to violence between adults or towards others in your environment.

Examples include:

• Witnessing domestic violence between parents or caregivers

• Seeing one parent physically, emotionally, or sexually abuse the other

• Being present during violent arguments, threats, or intimidation

• Witnessing violence in your community or neighbourhood

• Exposure to a parent's mental health crises, including suicidal behaviour

• Living with a parent's substance abuse and the chaos that often accompanies it

• Seeing siblings or other family members being abused

When a child is inappropriately elevated into an adult role and expected to provide emotional or practical care that should come from adults. While parentification isn't always recognised as trauma in its own right, it can often be a secondary effect of other trauma and is very much harmful in its impact.

Examples include:

• Being your parent's emotional confidant or therapist

• Having adult problems and worries shared with you inappropriately

• Being expected to care for younger siblings as if you were the parent

• Managing household responsibilities that should be handled by adults

• Mediating between parents during conflicts

• Being expected to manage a parent's emotions or mental health

• Having your own childhood needs ignored whilst you care for others

• Being treated as a peer rather than a child who needs guidance and protection

This is trauma because: You lose your childhood and are exposed to adult concerns and responsibilities when you need protection, care, and age-appropriate guidance yourself.

The failure to meet a child's basic physical, emotional, or developmental needs.

Examples include:

• Lack of adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care

• Emotional unavailability or consistent lack of attention

• Failure to provide age-appropriate supervision or protection

• Not responding to your emotional needs or distress

• Leaving you alone for inappropriate periods

• Failing to provide educational opportunities or support

• Ignoring signs that you were being harmed by others

• Not celebrating achievements or acknowledging milestones