Child Abuse and the Law
Child abuse is a subject which makes people cringe yet, for more than 1 million
Child abuse can consist of many acts or forms of neglect, but is generally broken down into four types: physical abuse; neglect; emotional abuse; and sexual abuse. Children often experience multiple categories of maltreatment simultaneously. Abusers can be parents, caregivers, and people responsible for the child or in a position of authority over the child.
Physical abuse is physical injury, intentional or unintentional, inflicted on a child. Examples of physical abuse are hitting, punching, kicking, biting, shaking and throwing. Spanking, unless it causes physical injury to the child, is not treated as physical abuse. Approximately 15 percent of abused children suffer from physical maltreatment.
Neglect is outright abandonment or failure to provide for a child’s basic needs, such as food, water, appropriate shelter, medicine, education and supervision. Mitigating factors to be considered in some situations are religious beliefs, cultural systems, and poverty. Intentional neglect may not always be the case for children in these circumstances. Education and financial assistance may rectify the situation. An estimated 60 percent of abused children endure neglect.
Emotional abuse is complicated to define and challenging to prove. Essentially, it is behavior that harms a child’s emotional development. For instance, lack of guidance, support and love, continuous criticism, or threats are detrimental to a child. About 7 percent of abused children are affected by emotional abuse.
Sexual abuse encompasses a host of acts: fondling, rape, sodomy, incest, molestation, and indecent exposure. A person who conducts himself or herself with an intent to persuade, induce, entice or coerce a child into sexual activities is also considered an abuser. Approximately 7 percent of abused children are victims of sexual abuse.
If you have been accused of child abuse, contact an attorney to discuss your case.