Introduction to Child Abuse

What is Child Abuse?

Child abuse is the physical, sexual or emotional mistreatment of children. Abuse is any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that result in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. Most child abuse occurs in a child's home, with a smaller amount occurring in the organizations, schools or communities the child interacts with. There are four major categories of child abuse: neglect, physical, psychological or emotional and sexual abuse.

Definition:

Child sexual abuse is any interaction between a child and an adult (or another child) in which the child is used for the sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or an observer. Sexual abuse can include both touching and non-touching behavior.