Child abuse is doing something or failing to do something that result in harm or injury to a child.
An abuser is who fails to nurture the child, physically injures the child, or relates sexually to the child.
There are different types of child abuse. Among which the four major types are:
- Emotional abuse
- Physical abuse
- Neglect
- Sexual abuse
Emotional child abuse:
Emotional child abuse is one of the most common and harmful forms of child abuse. Emotional abuse is any act or behavior or failure to act that disturbs your child’s mental health or social development.
This act can range from a simple verbal insult to an extreme form of punishment. Emotional abuse is always found along with some other form of abuse.
Emotional abuse exists for longer periods and has negative psychiatric effects than either physical or sexual abuse. Hence emotional abuse can also be called as mental abuse, psychological abuse or verbal abuse.
Some of examples of emotional child abuse are: always finding fault, humiliating the child, name calling, and showing no respect can damage a child’s self-esteem.
Physical abuse:
Physical child abuse is causing an injury from physical violence. Some of the acts which cause injury include, burning, hitting, punching, pushing, burning with cigarettes, shaking, kicking, beating, scalding water or otherwise harming a child.
The signs of physical abuse are:
Repeated injuries, Burns, Bruises, shaking a child can cause head injuries, inducing medical illness in a child, crying a lot, seem very tired, fear of adults, bite marks.
Neglect:
It is a very common type of child abuse. Most of the children suffer from neglect than from physical and sexual abuse. Signs of neglecting include not providing basic needs for a child, extreme hunger, and clothing unsuited to weather.
There are three types of neglect; educational neglect, physical neglect, and emotional neglect.
Educational neglect is failure to provide necessary education, or not enrolling a school-age child in school.
Physical neglect is the act of not providing food, appropriate clothing, and not providing proper medical care.
Emotional neglect is failure to provide love and affection. Neglecting child’s emotional needs and not giving psychological care.
Sexual child abuse:
Sexual abuse is really hard experience for children. It is the physical act between an adult and a child.
Signs of sexual child abuse are:
Some physical signs like difficulty while walking or sitting, genital pain, excessive aggression, seductiveness, difficulty in eating and sleeping, lots of crying and feeling sad, avoiding communication with others.
Preventing child abuse:
- Discipline your child without spanking. Never discipline your child when your anger is out of control.
- Protect your child from sexual abuse on the internet.
- Pay attention when someone shows greater than normal interest in your child.
- Adults should be attentive and caring enough towards all kids, not only to their own families.
- Establishing some prevention services like public education activities, family support programs, and parent education classes.
