About Abuse:

 WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE?

There are four main types of child abuse: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and emotional abouse. Thought each state many vary slightly in defining each type of child abuse and neglect, most include the following basic information, in accordance with Federal minium standards found in the Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment ACT (CAPTA)

Neglect: is the failure to provide for the child's basic needs, whether these needs are physical, like failing to provide food or water or appropriate supervision; education like failing to educate a child or attend to special education needs; or emotional, like faling to provide proper emotional support or exposing the child to domestic vilence. 

Keep in mind that such examples are not always determined to be neglectful. Sometimes cultural values, community standards of care, accessibility to resources or poverty affect the way a parent care for their child. In these situations, the family is in need of the infromation and resources and the child's needs continus to be unmet, futher intervention may be necessary.

Physical abuse: is physical injury as a reult of any physical action that harms a child. The injury can range in levels of severity, from minor bruises to severe fractures or death. Such injury is considered abuse even if the caretaker did not intend to hurt the child. In some case a serious injury may occur when a parent has inappropriately left a child in a dangerous situation; these incidents should also be reported to child protective serices or law enforcement.

Sexual abuse: includes any sexual activity with a child, such as fondling, penetration, incest rape, sodomy, idecent exposure and commercial exploitation through prostitution of pronographic materials.

Emotinal abuse: is any pattern of behavior that impairs a child's emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, rejection or withholding love and support. Exposure to domestic violence can also result in emotional abuse of childern.