What is Child Abuse?

Abuse can happen to a child or young person at any age, from birth to when they have left school. It can happen in well-off families or poor families, from any ethnic background. It can happen children and young people whether or not they have a disability.

 

Abuse can happen because of the way adults or other children and young people behave towards a child or young person. It can also result from adults failing to provide proper care for the children they look after. A child or young person can suffer different kinds of abuse at the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

This is when someone physically hurts or harms a child or young person. Hitting, squeezing, biting, or twisting their arms or legs can cause injuries like bruises, grazes, cuts or broken bones. Someone may burn a child or young person, perhaps by holding a part of their body against something very hot or by scalding them. Violently shaking a baby can cause brain injuries, which can lead to permanent disability or even death. Poisoning a child or young person, perhaps by giving them alcohol or drugs, or deliberately making them ill is also physical abuse.

 

Signs may include:

 

 

Neglect can result when adults fail to meet the physical or emotional needs of the children they are responsible for. All children and young people need food, clothing, warmth, love and attention, in order to grow and develop properly.

 

Signs may include:

 

  

 

Sexual abuse is when a child or young person is forced, tricked or coerced into taking part in sexual activity with an adult or young person. This can include kissing, touching the child or young in intimate areas, intercourse or oral sex. Encouraging a child or young person to look at pornographic magazines, videos or sexual acts is also sexual abuse.

The abuser may use different methods to persuade the child or young person to cooperate, like bribery, threats or physical force. Often, there will be no physical signs. It can happen to boys as well as girls. Sexual abuse can have long-lasting effects: some children or young people who have been abused in this way are unable to have close relationships with other people when they are older; others deliberately harm themselves because they feel so bad about what has happened; some may abuse other children or young people when they are older. Children or young people who are being sexually abused often tell an adult they trust - that person must be prepared to listen, hear and take action.

 

Signs may include:

 

 

 

Emotional abuse occurs when a child or young person's basic needs for love, security, praise and recognition are left unmet. It may result in them becoming withdrawn, nervous, unhappy or lacking in confidence. They may be isolated and find it difficult to make friends, perhaps because they don't feel the same as other children.

 

Emotional abuse may happen when an adult constantly behaves in an uncaring or hostile way towards a child or young person, perhaps by bullying, rejecting, frightening, criticising or scape-goating them. An adult may behave in an inconsistent way all of the time so they never know what reaction to expect. Some adult carers can be very possessive or over protective towards a child or young person. In severe cases, they may be subjected to cruel treatment and punishment like being locked up in cold dark surroundings. Basic needs like food, drink and warmth may be withheld or have to be 'earned'. 

 

Signs may include:

 

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