The world health organization describes child abuse as a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there’s expectation of trust which causes harm or distress

Child abuse can happen anywhere, and it is often the people closest to the child who abuses the child. The abuser can be anyone who has access to the child and people who are in the position to mistreat them.

People who abuse the child, are often people who were abused themselves as kids. The cycle of abuse is hard to break and can be passed down for generations. This is the reason why it is important that abuse is dealt with appropriately in order to ensure that abuse does not occur later when the
abuse child becomes an adult.

Abuse is a pattern of behavior which can be defined as any form of harm or ill-treatment deliberately inflicted on a child, and includes:

1. Assaulting a child or inflicting any other form of deliberate injury to a child.
2. Sexually abusing a child or allowing a child to be sexually abused.
3. Bullying by another child
4. A labor practice that exploits a child; or
5. Exposing or subjecting a child to behavior that may harm the child psychologically or emotionally.

Problems most commonly associated with the occurrence of child abuse and neglect are domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, parental mental health issues, poverty and young people that are disconnected from their families. Very often, children are abused within the family, by a caregiver or someone they know.

Children may suffer any one or a combination of the following forms of abuse:

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Neglect, which is the failure to provide for a child’s basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, love and affection or much-needed medical care when the parent or caregiver is able to do so.
• Exploitation, which is a form of abuse and includes trafficking, child labour and online abuse.

Child abuse can take many different forms, but here is a short list of signs that must be individually assessed within a child’s broader circumstances:

• Physical signs:

  Any injury (bruise, burn, fracture, abdominal or head injury) that cannot be explained

  Failure to gain weight or sudden dramatic weight gain

  Headaches or stomach aches with no medical cause

  Genital pain or bleeding

  Abdominal pain, bed-wetting (especially if the child has already been toilet trained)

  A sexually transmitted disease

• Trouble with school (poor grades, poor attention, not wanting to go to school)
• Eating disorders
• Self-mutilating behavior
• A child who has been abused needs special support and treatment as early as possible.

• A close relationship with a very supportive adult can increase resiliency, reducing some of the impact.

• Suicidal, withdrawn, or violent behavior
• Substance abuse
• Attempts to run away, refusing discipline or abusing others
• Post-traumatic stress symptoms
• Admittance to different hospitals in attempt to avoid proper investigation

• Signs of emotional abuse
  
  • Apathy.
  • Depression.
  • Hostility or stress.
  • Lack of concentration.
  • Eating disorders.
  • Headaches, nausea, abdominal pains.
  • Suicide attempts.
     
• Signs of sexual abuse
  • Inappropriate interest or knowledge of sexual acts or knowledge of sexual terminology for child’s age.
  • Nightmares and bed wetting.
  • Drastic changes in appetite.
  • Over compliance or excessive aggression.
  • Fear of a particular person or family member.
  • Depression and suicide attempts.
  • Self-mutilating behavior (self-inflicted cuts, sores and/or burns). 
     
• Signs of neglect
  • Unsuitable clothing for weather.
  • Dirty or unbathed.
  • Extreme hunger.
  • Apparent lack of supervision.
  • Abandonment.
  • Insufficient safety precautions in the home.
  • Unattended medical, dental, or educational needs.
     
• Signs of exploitation
  
  • All forms of slavery or practices like slavery, including debt bondage or forced marriage.
  • Sexual exploitation.
  • Servitude.
  • Forced labor or services.
  • Removal of organs.

Parents and family are recognized as the first duty-bearers to always ensure the safety of a child. Children should be taught the basic rules of safety and be always supervised by responsible adults. We should make sure that we always protect our children.