Definition of Child Abuse

Child abuse is generally categorized into four types: neglect, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. While these divisions are useful in understanding abuse, it is imperative to realize that many children experience more than one form of abuse and that different types of abuse can occur simultaneously. Furthermore, exposure to family violence, institutional, and societal abuse also need to be recognized under the umbrella of child abuse.

Neglect

Neglect is the chronic inattention or omission on the part of the caregiver to provide for the basic emotional and/or physical needs of the child, including food, clothing, nutrition, adequate supervision, health, hygiene, safety, medical and psychological care, and education. Emotionally neglected children do not receive the necessary psychological nurturance to foster their growth and development. The child who does not receive adequate emotional, cognitive, and physical stimulation along with physical care and nutrition may experience delays in development. These delays may become irreversible.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse includes all acts by a caregiver that result in physical harm to a child. Physical abuse may result from inappropriate or excessive discipline and in fact, the caregiver may not have intended to hurt the child. This may involve minor injury (such as a bruise) to a more serious injury, causing permanent damage or death (e.g., shaken baby syndrome, female genital mutilation). Inappropriate punishment includes but is not limited to anything that leaves a mark on the child, or the use of an object to strike a child (click here for the chart comparing Discipline vs. Punishment). Although cultural factors play a role in caring and/or disciplining children, injuring a child is unacceptable.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse occurs when a person uses their power over a child, and involves the child in any sexual act. The power of the abuser can lie in their age, intellectual and/or physical development, authority over the child, and/or the child’s dependency on them. The sexual act is intended to gratify the needs of the abuser. Sexual abuse includes acts such as fondling, genital stimulation, mutual masturbation, oral sex, using fingers, penis, or objects for vaginal/anal penetration, inappropriate sexual language, sexual harassment, voyeurism, exposing oneself, sexual exploitation over the Internet, as well as exposing a child to, or involving a child in pornography or prostitution. The offender may engage the child in inappropriate sexual activity through threats, bribes, force, misrepresentation, and other forms of coercion. Sexual abuse is usually an ongoing pattern of progressively intrusive sexual interactions. Most of the time, the offender is someone well known to the child and trusted by the child/family.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is a pattern of overt rejecting, isolating, degrading, terrorizing, corrupting, exploiting, denying emotional responsiveness, and punishing a child’s attempts to interact with the environment. The caregiver may use any of these tactics in relating to and disciplining a child. Children who are exposed to violence in their homes may suffer emotional harm.

Exposure to Family Violence

Family violence is the result of an imbalance of power, the aim of which is to frighten, intimidate, and gain control. Family violence can take the form of physical, sexual, emotional, or spiritual harm. It is common for abusers to repeat the cycle of violent behaviour, with increasing severity. The terms “witnessing” or “exposure to” family violence refers to the multiple ways in which children are exposed to family violence. This includes directly seeing and/or hearing the violence, being used as a pawn by the perpetrator, and/or experiencing the physical, emotional and psychological repercussions of violence (e.g., a family member who is physically injured, child protection and/or police intervention).  For more information and resources on family violence, please click here.

Institutional Abuse

Abuse can occur in institutional settings with responsibility for children if caregivers:

• Do not supervise children adequately
• Use harmful methods of controlling children
• Use drugs inappropriately to manage children’s behaviour
• Use harsh disciplinary measures such as corporal punishment, isolation, or withholding of food
• Use excessive force when trying to deal with a child who is “out of control”
• Do not report the knowledge of any abusive behaviour toward children in the setting

Societal Abuse

Societal abuse consists of commission or omission on the part of society as a whole that result in children suffering. For example, this can include society’s knowledge and acceptance of children living in poverty. Societal abuse can also be influenced by culture, politics, and economics such as in the use of child labour.

Adapted from: older GLK guide, information sheets, Making a Difference manual