Child Abuse & Neglect April, 2014 | Page 5

Types of child abuse

There are four main types of child abuse:

-Physical abuse: Non accidental physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to death)

-Neglect: Failure of parents, guradian, or caregiver to provide for a child's basic needs. (Can be phsycial, emotional, educational, and medical)

-Sexual abuse: Sexual acts between a child and an adult such touching genitals, showing child genitals, pressuring for sex, fondling, and other sexual acts.

-Emotional abuse: Behavior that impairs a child's emotional, cognitive, or psychological development.

What can a child possibly do to deserve such maltreatment from their parent, caregiver, or any other person? The answer to that is noting! Some causes that could be associated to child abuse and neglect are:

- Poverty

- Low-self esteem

- Poor impulse control

- Unemployment

- Depression

- Alcohol/drug abuse

- Work pressure

- Parent may have been a victim of child abuse

- Abusive spousal relationship

- Loneliness

Causes of Child Abuse & Neglect