Physical and sexual violence against children

Abstract

Violence against children represents a sobering reality for South African health professionals. Dealing with violence against children can easily take a heavy toll on health professionals’ health, often resulting in compassion fatigue, or secondary traumatic stress, which is characterised by a blunted response to patients’ suffering, in turn causing them secondary traumatisation. This article prepares health professionals in choosing the most appropriate and comfortable management for these unfortunate young victims of violence.