Child abuse

Child abuse, literally, is the act of intentionally harming a child, or the results of that act. Generally, it the active thread in the long, unfortunate saga of maltreatment and neglect of children. Such abuse and neglect has probably always been a feature of childhood for some individuals in every human society. However, child abuse also has specific legal meanings, that, like all legal meanings, have some degree of geographic and cultural variability.

Experts in child abuse consider that acts of ommission, as well as acts of commission, count as maltreatment of children. Physical abuse includes not only beating or other injury, but also, for example, failure to touch or hold a child. Certainly, in older children, there is a broad range of normal when it comes to adults having physical contact with children, but in neonates, infants and toddlers, lack of physical contact from care givers has clear and objective detrimental effects on health, and a young infant who is never held, for example, is actually less likely to survive. "Psychologic maltreatment of a child by a caregiver includes spurning, exploiting/corrupting, withholding emotional responsiveness, isolating, or terrorizing." (reference for quote:Charles F. Johnson:Chapter 35 – Abuse and Neglect of Children in Behrman: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 17th ed. ISBN 1416024506) Psychological and physical abuse are often both features of the maltreatment of children and not used in isolation. Sexual child abuse

Epidemiology:Incidence and demographics of child abuse

How common is child abuse? Which children are abused, and how? These questions appear straightforward but cannot be answered without qualifications and explanations. The role of children in society is not constant in the different cultures of the world and has changed considerably within modern cultures over history. For example, an arranged marriage of a 13 year old girl to an adult man against her inclination is not only illegal in the United States, but the fostering of that relationship would be considered abusive. However, that was not the case in much of North America in earlier centuries and is not the case in some other countries today.

References

Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect , 2nd Committee on Children with Disabilities : Assessment of maltreatment of children with disabilities. Pediatrics 2001; 108:508-511

Overpeck MD, Brenner RA, Trumble AC, et al: Risk factors for infant homicide in the United States. N Engl J Med 1998; 339:1211

External links

• SAFE-Child Protection : A UK charity dedicated to educating children, parents, and teachers on the prevention of child abuse. [1]
• Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-3). The NIS is the single most comprehensive source of information about the current incidence of child abuse and neglect in the United States. [2]
• American Humane Association, Children's Division, 63 Inverness Drive East, Englewood, CO 80112-5117. Email http://www.amerhumane.org