What is Child Abuse?

World Health Organization says:
Child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.

Physical Abuse
Physical abuse of a child is that which results in actual or potential physical harm from an interaction or lack of an interaction, which is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power or trust.  There may be single or repeated incidents.

Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse includes the failure to provide a developmentally appropriate, supportive environment, including the availability of a primary attachment figure, so that the child can establish a stable and full range of emotional and social competencies commensurate with her or his personal potentials and in the context of the society in which the child dwells.  There may also be acts towards the child that cause or have a high probability of causing harm to the child's health or physical, mental spiritual, moral, or social development.  These acts must be reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power, or trust.
Acts include restriction of movement, patterns of belittling, denigrating, scapegoating, threatening, scaring, discriminating, ridiculing or other non-physical forms of hostile or rejecting treatment.

Neglect and Negligent Treatment
Neglect is the failure to provide for the development of the child in all spheres: health, education, emotional development, nutrition, shelter and safe living conditions, in the context of resources reasonably available to the family or caretakers and causes or has a high probability of causing harm to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.  This includes the failure to properly supervise and protect children from harm as much as is feasible.

Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or that violate the laws or social taboos of society.  Child sexual abuse is evidenced by this activity between a child and an adult or another child who by age or development is in a relationship of responsibility, trust,, or power, the activity being intended to gratify or satisfy the needs of the other person.  This may include but is not limited to:
· The inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful activity 
· The exploitative use of a child in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices
· The exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and materials