Types of Child Abuse

Child abuse protection is vital in society. Many children are subject to conditions that lead to their being abused and in need of protection. This article indicates types of child abuse and the risk factors leading to child abuse.

Child abuse can fall in to four main categories. These being neglect, physical abuse, psychological abuse and sexual abuse:

Neglect is the ongoing failure by child carer to provide adequate care for a child to enable their basic needs to be met. This type of abuse can hinder a child's growth and development. The needs of life that are negligently withheld from a child include food, clothing, shelter and medical attention.

Physical abuse is harming the child physically due to direct attack or because not enough care has been taken to avoid the child from being physically hurt. It tends to be non-accidental or repetitive. Such abuse can come about through the use of excessive discipline such as providing beatings, shaking, strangulation, cigarette burns and more. Through this illegal action a carer can cause the child bruising, lacerations, burns, fractures and dislocations.

Psychological abuse arises where a parent or care giver injures the child emotionally and causes the child to lack confidence and self esteem. This may lead to serious emotional deprivation or trauma for the child. The behaviour of the carer could be such that they excessively criticise a child, withhold affection, exposes them to domestic violence, intimidation or unnecessarily threatening the child. Psychological abuse it typically persistent and prolonged.

Sexual abuse occurs when a child is taken sexual advantage of. In this situation a older person over powers them either physically or psychologically. Children in these circumstances are often "groomed" through manipulations including bribing and threats and raising concerns of what might happen if anyone finds out about the perverse behaviour of the older person. This type of abuse can lead to long term psychological damage and it is not unusual the hear of cases opening up of incidents happening decades previously and still having an impact on an adult.

There are a number of factors that might lead a child to be in higher danger of being abused. These include social and/or geographical isolation of the child from the support of other people, this may be within the family or from contact with those outside of the immediate family; the family may have a history of violence; there may be a history of physical and mental health issues for the parent or care giver which impedes their judgements and child rearing practices; there may be previous abuse or neglect of older brothers and sisters, or other children. Finally a parent or parents or care giver may simply not be skilled to be a good parent.

Abuse of a child may result from neglect, physical and emotional abuse or sexual in nature. Whatever the reasons for this abuse it is rightly considered unacceptable in our modern society and increasingly governments are passing laws and developing policies and procedures to provide child abuse protection.

 
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