Child abuse falls into several different categories. These can include the following:
- Physical abuse – deliberating hurting a child e.g. hitting, punching or physical chastisement, causing injuries such as bruises, broken bones, burns or cuts.
- Emotional abuse – ongoing emotional maltreatment of a child including rejection, constantly threatening, or criticising a child so that they feel unloved and worthless. This can also include exposure to domestic abuse in the home.
- Sexual abuse – forcing or persuading a child to take part in sexual activities, including inappropriate touching, kissing or sexual intercourse. This can also involve causing a child to look at or be involved in pornographic material
- Exploitation – using a child for gain, either sexual or criminal
- Neglect – failure to care for a child’s basic daily needs including food, clothing, medical care, shelter, keeping them safe, education and nurturing
More information on the different types of abuse can be found on the NSPCC website.