Child Abuse

Child abuse is the physical or psychological maltreatment of a child or young person under the
age of 18 by an adult. There are four main types of abuse:

1. Physical
When children are hurt or injured by parents or other people. Hitting, kicking, beating with
objects, throwing and shaking are all examples of physical abuse and can cause pain, cuts,
bruising, broken bones and sometimes even death.

2. Sexual
This is when children are forced or persuaded into sexual acts or situations by others. Children
might be encouraged to look at pornography, be harassed by sexual suggestions or comments, be
touched sexually or forced to have sex or perform other acts that make them uncomfortable.

3. Emotional
When children are not given love, approval or acceptance. They may be constantly criticised,
blamed, sworn and shouted at, told that other people are better than they are and rejected by
those they look to for affection. This includes constant name-calling, being threatened, being
made fun of or made to feel small, and often seeing violence between the people who care for
them.

4. Neglect
When parents or others looking after children do not provide them with proper food, warmth,
shelter, clothing, care and protection.

5. Bullying and discrimination

Whether by adults or by another young person, this is also abusive and can hurt physically and
emotionally. Bullying and discrimination are not acceptable, and children should not suffer in
silence or have to deal with these problems on their own.
Effects of abuse on the individual
Abuse creates all sorts of emotions, including feeling:
 Frightened
 Alone
 Angry
 Unloved
 Guilty
 Ashamed
 Unimportant.
It can also make children feel confused, especially if the person hurting them is someone they
look up to. But, whatever the feeling it creates, abuse is wrong and never your fault.
Regardless of what abusers say (phrases like 'No-one will believe you' and 'I'll kill you if you
tell'; or even suggesting that it's your fault they're abusing you) they do not have the right to hurt
you, and you do have the right to live a normal, abuse-free life.

Getting help
Even if you think there's no way out of the problem or if you're under pressure not to tell anyone,
there are people you can talk to. One of the most important things to remember is that whatever
you're going through, you don't have to keep it to yourself.

Start by talking to someone you know and trust, such as a:

 Parent, carer or someone else in your family
 Close friend, or one of their brothers, sisters or parents
 Neighbour
 Teacher or school counsellor - some schools have mentoring schemes
 Doctor or school nurse
 Social worker
Who abuses children?
It is not just strangers who abuse children - 95 per cent of children calling sexual and physical
abuse know the abuser. Abusers include parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, teachers, family
friends, and brothers and sisters.
The majority of abusers 'reported' are usually men. They come from all classes, professions and
backgrounds. Some women do abuse children, as do young people.

What can you do?

Child abuse is emotionally and physically damaging and can even result in death. It also creates
all sorts of confusing feelings and emotions. Often a child may not realise that what is making
him/her feel scared or worried is abuse. You can help to keep children and young people safe by
watching for unexpected changes in their appearance and behaviour. If a child tries to talk to you
about something that is worrying him/her, listen carefully and take them seriously.

It is very important to remember that abuse is never the child or young person's choice and is
never their fault. The idea of talking about abuse can be daunting. It can be difficult to know
what to do for the best, whether you are being abused or are worried about somebody else. You
will probably feel worried about what will happen if you tell. You might feel embarrassed, or
think that you won't be believed. You might think the problem will go away if you ignore it. Or,
you might think that you will be seen as interfering or a 'busybody'. You might think that the
child will be taken into local authority care and the family will be broken up. Speaking out is the
first and most difficult step, but it's also the most important. By telling someone, you can stop a
child being abused. Whether you suspect child abuse or are a victim yourself, don't keep it to
yourself. It's important to get help, for the safety of the child involved.
Only then can the abuse be stopped.