Session 3

What Is Child Abuse?

When people think about child abuse, they usually think of physical and sexual abuse. But more than 50 percent of children and youth come into provincial government care in Alberta because of neglect. The main types of abuse are emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emergency situations.

Emotional abuse may take the form of chronic exposure to alcohol or drug abuse, verbal attacks on a child’s sense of self, repeated humiliation or rejection. Exposure to violence or severe conflict in the home, forced isolation, restraint or causing a child to be afraid much of the time may also cause emotional harm. Emotional abuse rarely happens only once and it is usually part of a particular way of dealing with a child.

Neglect is any lack of care that causes serious harm to a child’s development or endangers the child in any way. Physical neglect is the failure to meet the child’s day-to-day physical needs. This includes failing to provide adequate nutrition, clothing, shelter, health care, and protection from harm. Emotional neglect is the failure to meet the child’s ongoing emotional needs for affection and a sense of belonging.

Physical abuse is the intentional use of force on any part of a child’s body that results in injuries. It may be a single incident or a series or pattern of incidents. The Criminal Code states that physical force cannot be used on children unless the force used is “reasonable” and has been used for “corrective purposes” by a parent or someone acting in the role of parent.

Sexual abuse is the improper exposure of a child to sexual contact, activity, or behaviour. It includes any sexual touching, intercourse, exploitation, or exposure and can be perpetuated by anyone, including a parent, caregiver, extended family, friend, neighbour, or stranger.

Emergency situations include when the parents, youth, or child are intoxicated, high or suicidal, or if a child has been abandoned.

What Contributes to Child Abuse?

Stress, poor parenting skills, lack of positive parent-child involvement, criminal or mental health problems, many children to care for, and poverty are all factors that can lead to child abuse by parents, extended family, friends, neighbours, caregivers, and strangers.

Research also identifies domestic violence, lack of social supports, history of child abuse, and alcohol and drug abuse as the most frequent contributing factors in substantiated cases of child abuse. (MacLaurin, et al., 2005)

Alberta Children and Youth Services, “What is Child Abuse and How to Report It,” <www.child.alberta.ca/home/documents/childintervention/What_is_Child_Abuse_and_How_to_Report_It.pdf>; (accessed March 2010).

child abuse: anything that endangers the development, security, or survival of a child

A child is anyone under the age of 18.

emotional abuse: any abuse that causes serious mental or emotional harm to a child

neglect: a lack of care

physical abuse: the intentional use of force on any part of a child’s body that results in serious injuries

sexual abuse: the improper exposure of a child to sexual contact, activity, or behaviour

emergency situation: a situation where a youth’s or child’s life is endangered as a result of abandonment or as a result of alcohol or drug use

Why Does Child Abuse Happen?

There is no reason or excuse for child abuse. It is never okay to hurt a child. If you understand some of the reasons that children are abused, you can help prevent abuse.

• Some children are abused because their parents have too few resources. These parents may not have the time, energy, money, or support to care for their children properly. When parents have too much stress and too few coping mechanisms, they may resort to abuse.
  
  
• Parents who themselves have been abused as children are more likely to be abusive because they have grown up in abusive families and have not learned to raise children in any other way.
  
  
• Some abusers (in the case of sexual abuse) believe that it is their right to have their needs met by the children they are abusing.
  
  
• Some parents believe that it is their right and duty to control their children and they use whatever means they think are required to do so.
  
  
• Some parents are abusive because they are unwilling to care for their children properly. The children may be unwanted or are a nuisance or burden to the parents. These parents think that their own needs are more important than the children’s needs.
  
  
• Some parents abuse because they do not have the parenting skills or knowledge. Parents may not know child development and how to meet their children’s needs. They may have unrealistic expectations of the children and punish them when they do not meet those expectations.

Adapted from Alberta Children’s Services, “Child Abuse: What is it? What to do about it?” Office for the Prevention of Family Violence, January 2002.

How Do You Recognize Child Abuse and Neglect?

Understanding what child abuse and neglect are, and knowing how to take appropriate action, is critical to ensure the safety and well-being of children. Child abuse and neglect take many forms. “Abuse” can mean actively hurting a child or depriving the child of affection and acceptance. “Neglect” means failing to take proper care of a child. Abuse and neglect can range from constantly humiliating a child, to denying the nurturing child’s needs, from hard shaking or slapping, to the sexual abuse of a child.

Your first indication that a child may be in need of protective services may be your observation of the relationship between the parent/guardian or caregiver and child. If you “sense” something is wrong, trust your instincts. Do not over-react, but do watch the situation closely.

Child abuse and neglect fall into four basic categories: physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect. The form of the maltreatment in a particular case may be a single form of abuse or a combination of abuse and neglect.

If under any circumstances a child tells you that he or she is being abused or neglected, believe the child and act!

Remember to write down any information you have related to the suspicions: physical signs, conversations you had with the parent/guardian, caregiver, or child, the date, time, and any other details. Keep your recordings confidentially secure, and separate from other records.

In any given situation, the abuse and neglect may be a combination of types.

If you have doubt, call the child welfare worker and discuss the situation without initially providing names.

Alberta Children’s Services, “Protocols for Handling Child Abuse and Neglect In Child Care Services” (May 2000). 5, <www.calgaryandareacfsa.gov.ab.ca/home/documents/AdditionalResources/DC_Inv_Protocol.pdf>; (accessed March 2010). Reproduced with permission.