What is Child Abuse ?

Child abuse is defined as an injury or a pattern of injuries to a child that is non-accidental. Child maltreatment includes emotional abuse, physical neglect, sexual abuse, and non-accidental physical injury. Child abuse is against the law.

Emotional Abuse includes parental expectations which result in aggressive, excessive, or unreasonable demands upon children which are beyond their capabilities. Examples might include the kind of constant teasing that belittles a child or verbal attacks. Sometimes emotional abuse is not what a parent does, but what a parent doesn't do, such as failure to provide the understanding and nurture necessary for a child's healthy psychological growth and development.

Physical Neglect is the withholding of, or failure to provide a child with, the basic necessities of life: clothing, food, medical care, attention to hygiene, or adequate supervision.

Sexual Abuse is the exploitation of a child for the sexual gratification of an adult. It may range from exhibitionism and fondling to intercourse and the use of children in pornographic materials.

Non-accidental Physical Injury may include severe beatings, burns, human bites, broken bones, strangulation, shaking, or serious internal injuries.

Recognizing the symptoms of child maltreatment is one of the first steps in helping abused children. Child abuse and neglect are typically found in a combination of two or more of the types listed above. For example, a physically abused child is often emotionally maltreated as well. A sexually abused child may also be neglected.

What are general indicators of child maltreatment? The Child:

  • shows sudden changes in behavior or school performance;
  • has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents' attention;
  • has learning problems that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes;
  • is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen;
  • lacks adult supervision;
  • is overly compliant, an overachiever, or too responsible;
  • comes to school early, stays late, and does not want to go home;
  • has unexplained frequent bruises or injuries.
The Parent:
  • shows little concern for the child, rarely responding to the school's requests for information, conferences, or home visits;
  • denies the existence of (or blames the child for) the child's problems in school or home;
  • asks the classroom teacher to use harsh physical punishment if the child misbehaves;
  • sees the child as bad, worthless, or burdensome;
  • demands perfection or a level of physical or academic performance the child cannot achieve;
  • looks primarily to the child for care, attention, and satisfaction of emotional needs.
The Parent and Child:
  • rarely touch or look at each other;
  • consider their relationship entirely negative; state that they do not like each other.
None of the above signs, alone, proves that child maltreatment is present in a family. Any of them may be found at one time or another. But when these signs appear repeatedly or in combination, they should cause us to take a closer look at the situation and to consider the possibility of child abuse.

What if I Suspect Abuse?
It's probably best to consider the array of factors which deny children the feeling of being loved or deny children basic physical necessities. You can call child protective services to discuss the appropriateness of referrals if you're not sure.

Remember that if a child tells you that maltreatment is happening, say:

"I believe you."
"I will help you in any way that I can."
"You are not at fault."
"We cannot keep this a secret - we need to get help."
To report child abuse and neglect, contact Child Protective Services (CPS) or your local law enforcement agency. Police will investigate the suspected crime. Social service agencies will assess the risk to the child. Both the police and child protection workers can help you assess the risk to the child. This may be done anonymously.

Procedure: Report the signs and symptoms of maltreatment that you observe. Give the child's name and the name of the person believed to be responsible for the abuse (if you know it). It is very helpful to give your own name and phone number, if possible.

Emergencies: If you believe the child is in immediate danger, call 911. (Do not use 911 for non-emergencies.)

Why Does Child Abuse Happen?
There is no easy answer to this question; many factors are involved. Child abuse is most likely to occur when:

  • there is a lack of parenting knowledge;
  • a parent regards a child as different or problematic;
  • parents are socially isolated with no close friends or family to offer emotional support or to help with the heavy demands of raising a family;
  • parents have unmet emotional needs;
  • there is a crisis or series of crises such as marital, financial, or employment problems, a major illness, etc.;
  • parents were themselves abused as children;
  • there is a drug or alcohol problem in the home.
Who Are the Abusers?
There are no monsters. Abusive parents can be your friends, your neighbors, or your relatives. They are ordinary people caught in life situations beyond their control. It is a myth that child abuse occurs only among poor families. Child maltreatment affects all economic, racial, social, ethnic, and religious groups.

Information adapted from: Minnesota Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse for: KIDS: Hawai`i's Treasure Project.

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