What is Abuse?
Parents often worry that their child may be abused by someone they do not know, however, statistics show that more often than not abuse is carried out by someone the child and family knows - they may be family, friends, neighbors or babysitters. An abuser can be male or female of any age.
Both boys and girls can be abused and at any age.
Below is some information that explains what different types of abuse are.
If you think a child is being abused then you must inform your local police division or child welfare protection officers.
Please do not confront the abuser yourself!
Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse is any sexual act with a child carried out by an older child or adult. Often these involve body contact but not always.
It may include, but not limited to:
• Sexual touching of any part of the body, clothed or unclothed
• Encouraging and /or manipulating a child to be involved in sexual activity, including masturbation
• Penetrative sex, including penetration of the mouth
• Engaging in a sexual activity in front of a child
• Showing pornography intentionally to a child
• Encouraging a child to become involved in prostitution
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse consists of anything one person does to another that causes physical pain.
This includes slapping, pinching, punching, pushing, throwing objects at another person, assaulting someone with an object or anything that brings about physical pain or discomfort to another. Physical abuse can result in bruises, black eyes, knocked out teeth, broken bones, and internal organ injuries.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse includes psychological abuse or psychological maltreatment and is a pattern of behaviour that makes someone feel worthless, flawed, unloved, or endangered. Like other forms of abuse, emotional abuse is based on power and control. Emotional abuse does not leave physical. It can be more disturbing than physical harm, and it often leads to physical abuse.
• Rejecting: refusing to acknowledge a person's presence, value or worth
• Isolating: placing restrictions on contact with others; refusing access to money
• Denying emotional responsiveness: being detached and uninvolved; interacting only when necessary; ignoring a person's mental health needs; denying affection such as a hug
• Terrorizing: placing a person in dangerous situations; threatening to hurt a person or his/her loved ones; setting rigid or unreasonable expectations
• Neglect: not providing for a person’s physical, mental, emotional and other needs, including medical/health care, education, shelter, food and a clean, comfortable and safe home.
Neglect and Maltreatment
Neglect is the failure of a parent, guardian, or other caregiver to provide for a child’s basic needs. Neglect may be:
Physical (e.g., failure to provide necessary food, shelter, or lack of appropriate supervision)
Medical (e.g., failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment)
Educational (e.g., failure to educate a child or attend to special education needs)
Emotional (e.g., inattention to a child’s emotional needs, failure to provide psychological care, or permitting the child to use alcohol or other drugs)
These situations do not always mean a child is neglected. Sometimes cultural values, the standards of care in the community, and poverty may be contributing factors, indicating the family is in need of information or assistance. When a family fails to use information and resources, and the child’s health or safety is at risk, then child welfare intervention may be required.
