Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEmotional AbuseSexual AbusePhysical AbuseNeglectRecognizing Signs of Child Abuse
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Emotional Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Physical Abuse
Neglect
Recognizing Signs of Child Abuse
In the United States, children experience child abuse or neglect at a rate of 8.9 per 1,000 children.Child abuse is considered anadverse childhood experience (ACE)that can have long-term impacts on an individual’s health and well-being.
Child abuse can occur in a single instance or in several instances, but it falls within four main categories:emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect.
At a GlanceEmotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect are the four most common types of child maltreatment. These types of abuse can have a devastating effect on development and well-being. A few signs to watch for include changes in behavior, signs of worsening mental or physical health, signs of a lack of care, and regularly missing school. Knowing what to watch for can help adults learn to recognize when abuse is happening so they can take steps to help kids who need it.
At a Glance
Emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect are the four most common types of child maltreatment. These types of abuse can have a devastating effect on development and well-being. A few signs to watch for include changes in behavior, signs of worsening mental or physical health, signs of a lack of care, and regularly missing school. Knowing what to watch for can help adults learn to recognize when abuse is happening so they can take steps to help kids who need it.
Also considered psychological orverbal abuse,emotional abuseis persistent, non-physical abuse that makes a child believe they are unwanted, unloved, worthless, or only valuable in meeting their perpetrator’s needs.
Words and actions are used to manipulate or control a child, causing emotional harm that may result in low self-esteem, hostility, anxiety, depression, or delinquency.
A pattern of emotionally abusive behavior is difficult to recognize or document but is often present in all categories of child abuse, including physical and sexual abuse. When a child is being verbally abused, often theiremotional developmentsuffers as a result.
Types of emotional abuse may include:
If a child is being emotionally abused, they will often exhibit behavioral changes. This could include excessive crying, bed wetting, bullying, seeming overly fearful of their parents, or showing symptoms of speech, sleep, eating, anxiety, or another mental health disorder.
Because emotional abuse is often invisible, signs and symptoms are difficult to recognize, but without intervention, this can cause long-term mental health issues, such assubstance abuseor severepost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
By law, children cannot consent to sexual acts of any kind. Any sexual activity that occurs between an adult and a minor is consideredsexual abuse. In more than 90% of child sexual abuse cases, the child or family knows the perpetrator.
Types of sexual abuse include:
Sexual abuse may occur once or many times but can have lasting effects on a child’s health and mental health.
Some signs and symptoms of sexual abuse include children keeping secrets, exhibiting inappropriate sexual behavior, avoiding the removal of clothing, changes in eating habits, recurring pain during urination, mood changes, or loss of interest in school and activities, among others.Sexual abuse can also cause a sexually transmitted disease or pregnancy.
In adolescents, sexual abuse is known to cause any number of mental health problems, such as self-harm, substance abuse, disordered eating, depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation.
What Are the Most Common Types of Child Abuse?
Any act of harm committed against a child that results in injury is physical abuse, even if it’s unintentional. This type of abuse can causephysical and mental health problems in adulthoodand is a common cause of child morbidity and mortality.
Types of physical abuse include:
A harmed child may exhibitphysical signs, such as bruises, burns, scarring, hair loss, bone fractures, or other injuries. They may hide certain body parts with clothing, or they may blame the injury on a sibling.
Their explanation of the injury may change or may not match the injury itself. They may also delay seeking medical care, change primary care providers frequently, or have a long history of visiting the emergency department.
While some parents still use spanking as a form of punishment, it can be considered a form of physical abuse, as it may result in emotional and/or physical harm.
Child neglect occurs when a parent or caregiver fails to provide food, shelter, clothing, medical care, or supervision to maintain or protect the child’s health, safety, and well-being, resulting in harm or the threat of harm.
Neglect Is the Most Common Type of Child AbuseNeglect occurs in 61% of child abuse cases.It is the most common form of child maltreatmentin the United States.
Neglect Is the Most Common Type of Child Abuse
Neglect occurs in 61% of child abuse cases.It is the most common form of child maltreatmentin the United States.
Types of neglect include:
Unfortunately, neglect can occur with or without intention. A parent or caregiver may not have the financial resources to buy food, maintain shelter, or clothe their children. Still, this maltreatment can result in developmental problems, cognitive impairments, and emotional, social, and behavioral problems.
Neglect can lead to sexual promiscuity, substance abuse, visualhallucinations, cognitive delays,antisocial personality disorder, dysthymia, and other mental health conditions.
Effects of Child Abuse and MaltreatmentChild abuse increases the risk for mood disorders such as depression andbipolar disorder. People who experience childhood maltreatment are more likely to experience more mood disorder symptoms and a worse response to treatment.
Effects of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
Child abuse increases the risk for mood disorders such as depression andbipolar disorder. People who experience childhood maltreatment are more likely to experience more mood disorder symptoms and a worse response to treatment.
Important Facts and Examples of Child Abuse Cases
In 2019, Child Protective Services received 4.4 million referrals for the alleged mistreatment of 7.9 million children. The majority of reports come from professionals, such as education workers, legal and law enforcement workers, medical personnel, and social services staff members. However, friends, neighbors, and relatives reported 15.7% of the time.
Every child is susceptible to child abuse, and unfortunately, if a child is experiencing one form of abuse, they may be experiencing another.
Signs of Child AbuseIf the child is exhibiting the following signs and symptoms, they may be experiencing some form of abuse:Constantly hungry or exhaustedShowing signs of deteriorating health or mental healthMissing school repeatedlyDressing in dirty or inappropriate clothes for the weatherExperiencing severe changes in mood and behavior
Signs of Child Abuse
If the child is exhibiting the following signs and symptoms, they may be experiencing some form of abuse:Constantly hungry or exhaustedShowing signs of deteriorating health or mental healthMissing school repeatedlyDressing in dirty or inappropriate clothes for the weatherExperiencing severe changes in mood and behavior
If the child is exhibiting the following signs and symptoms, they may be experiencing some form of abuse:
If you have reasons to believe child abuse is happening, tell someone right away. Depending on the state, only select members of society, such as medical professionals and early childhood education teachers, can and are required to report child abuse suspicions, but you should never withhold your worries. A child’s life may be in danger.
If you are a victim of child abuse or know someone who might be, call or text theChildhelp National Child Abuse Hotlineat1-800-422-4453to speak with a professional crisis counselor.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
If you are a victim of child abuse or know someone who might be, call or text theChildhelp National Child Abuse Hotlineat1-800-422-4453to speak with a professional crisis counselor.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Takeaway
Children are vulnerable to abuse and, depending on their age, may not know or understand child abuse. For this reason, child mistreatment can go unreported and unaddressed. To prevent and combat the abuse of children, it’s up to all of us, neighbors, community members, clinicians, and other members of society, to intervene.
Trained professionals can investigate the situation and connect the child to relevant services if abuse is confirmed. They can then begin the process of recovery, starting with diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care.
Help for Parents Wrongly Accused of Child Abuse
15 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing child abuse & neglect. Reviewed March 15, 2021.Child Welfare Information Gateway.Child Maltreatment 2019: Summary of Key Findings.Brassard MR, Hart SN, Hardy DB.Psychological and emotional abuse of children. In: Ammerman RT, Hersen M, eds.Case Studies in Family Violence. Springer US; 2000:293-319. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-4171-4_14Shin SH, Lee S, Jeon S-M, Wills TA.Childhood emotional abuse, negative emotion-driven impulsivity, and alcohol use in young adulthood.Child Abuse & Neglect. 2015;50:94-103. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.02.010Stanford School of Medicine.Signs & symptoms. Child Abuse.Hoeboer C, de Roos C, van Son GE, Spinhoven P, Elzinga B.The effect of parental emotional abuse on the severity and treatment of PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents.Child Abuse & Neglect. 2021;111:104775. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104775Bureau of Justice Statistics.Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim Incident and Offender Characteristics.RAINN.Warning signs for young children.Christian CW, Neglect C on CAA.The evaluation of suspected child physical abuse.Pediatrics. 2015;135(5):e1337-e1354. doi:10.1542/peds.2015-0356MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Child physical abuse.Stanford School of Medicine.Child abuse.Children’s Bureau.Child Maltreatment 2019.Strathearn L, Giannotti M, Mills R, Kisely S, Najman J, Abajobir A.Long-term cognitive, psychological, and health outcomes associated with child abuse and neglect.Pediatrics. 2020;146(4). doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0438Horwitz AV, Widom CS, McLaughlin J, White HR.The impact of childhood abuse and neglect on adult mental health: a prospective study.Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 2001;42(2):184-201.Lippard ETC, Nemeroff CB.The devastating clinical consequences of child abuse and neglect: Increased disease vulnerability and poor treatment response in mood disorders.Am J Psychiatry. 2020;177(1):20-36. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010020
15 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing child abuse & neglect. Reviewed March 15, 2021.Child Welfare Information Gateway.Child Maltreatment 2019: Summary of Key Findings.Brassard MR, Hart SN, Hardy DB.Psychological and emotional abuse of children. In: Ammerman RT, Hersen M, eds.Case Studies in Family Violence. Springer US; 2000:293-319. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-4171-4_14Shin SH, Lee S, Jeon S-M, Wills TA.Childhood emotional abuse, negative emotion-driven impulsivity, and alcohol use in young adulthood.Child Abuse & Neglect. 2015;50:94-103. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.02.010Stanford School of Medicine.Signs & symptoms. Child Abuse.Hoeboer C, de Roos C, van Son GE, Spinhoven P, Elzinga B.The effect of parental emotional abuse on the severity and treatment of PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents.Child Abuse & Neglect. 2021;111:104775. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104775Bureau of Justice Statistics.Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim Incident and Offender Characteristics.RAINN.Warning signs for young children.Christian CW, Neglect C on CAA.The evaluation of suspected child physical abuse.Pediatrics. 2015;135(5):e1337-e1354. doi:10.1542/peds.2015-0356MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Child physical abuse.Stanford School of Medicine.Child abuse.Children’s Bureau.Child Maltreatment 2019.Strathearn L, Giannotti M, Mills R, Kisely S, Najman J, Abajobir A.Long-term cognitive, psychological, and health outcomes associated with child abuse and neglect.Pediatrics. 2020;146(4). doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0438Horwitz AV, Widom CS, McLaughlin J, White HR.The impact of childhood abuse and neglect on adult mental health: a prospective study.Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 2001;42(2):184-201.Lippard ETC, Nemeroff CB.The devastating clinical consequences of child abuse and neglect: Increased disease vulnerability and poor treatment response in mood disorders.Am J Psychiatry. 2020;177(1):20-36. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010020
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing child abuse & neglect. Reviewed March 15, 2021.Child Welfare Information Gateway.Child Maltreatment 2019: Summary of Key Findings.Brassard MR, Hart SN, Hardy DB.Psychological and emotional abuse of children. In: Ammerman RT, Hersen M, eds.Case Studies in Family Violence. Springer US; 2000:293-319. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-4171-4_14Shin SH, Lee S, Jeon S-M, Wills TA.Childhood emotional abuse, negative emotion-driven impulsivity, and alcohol use in young adulthood.Child Abuse & Neglect. 2015;50:94-103. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.02.010Stanford School of Medicine.Signs & symptoms. Child Abuse.Hoeboer C, de Roos C, van Son GE, Spinhoven P, Elzinga B.The effect of parental emotional abuse on the severity and treatment of PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents.Child Abuse & Neglect. 2021;111:104775. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104775Bureau of Justice Statistics.Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim Incident and Offender Characteristics.RAINN.Warning signs for young children.Christian CW, Neglect C on CAA.The evaluation of suspected child physical abuse.Pediatrics. 2015;135(5):e1337-e1354. doi:10.1542/peds.2015-0356MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Child physical abuse.Stanford School of Medicine.Child abuse.Children’s Bureau.Child Maltreatment 2019.Strathearn L, Giannotti M, Mills R, Kisely S, Najman J, Abajobir A.Long-term cognitive, psychological, and health outcomes associated with child abuse and neglect.Pediatrics. 2020;146(4). doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0438Horwitz AV, Widom CS, McLaughlin J, White HR.The impact of childhood abuse and neglect on adult mental health: a prospective study.Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 2001;42(2):184-201.Lippard ETC, Nemeroff CB.The devastating clinical consequences of child abuse and neglect: Increased disease vulnerability and poor treatment response in mood disorders.Am J Psychiatry. 2020;177(1):20-36. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010020
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing child abuse & neglect. Reviewed March 15, 2021.
Child Welfare Information Gateway.Child Maltreatment 2019: Summary of Key Findings.
Brassard MR, Hart SN, Hardy DB.Psychological and emotional abuse of children. In: Ammerman RT, Hersen M, eds.Case Studies in Family Violence. Springer US; 2000:293-319. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-4171-4_14
Shin SH, Lee S, Jeon S-M, Wills TA.Childhood emotional abuse, negative emotion-driven impulsivity, and alcohol use in young adulthood.Child Abuse & Neglect. 2015;50:94-103. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.02.010
Stanford School of Medicine.Signs & symptoms. Child Abuse.
Hoeboer C, de Roos C, van Son GE, Spinhoven P, Elzinga B.The effect of parental emotional abuse on the severity and treatment of PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents.Child Abuse & Neglect. 2021;111:104775. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104775
Bureau of Justice Statistics.Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim Incident and Offender Characteristics.
RAINN.Warning signs for young children.
Christian CW, Neglect C on CAA.The evaluation of suspected child physical abuse.Pediatrics. 2015;135(5):e1337-e1354. doi:10.1542/peds.2015-0356
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Child physical abuse.
Stanford School of Medicine.Child abuse.
Children’s Bureau.Child Maltreatment 2019.
Strathearn L, Giannotti M, Mills R, Kisely S, Najman J, Abajobir A.Long-term cognitive, psychological, and health outcomes associated with child abuse and neglect.Pediatrics. 2020;146(4). doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0438
Horwitz AV, Widom CS, McLaughlin J, White HR.The impact of childhood abuse and neglect on adult mental health: a prospective study.Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 2001;42(2):184-201.
Lippard ETC, Nemeroff CB.The devastating clinical consequences of child abuse and neglect: Increased disease vulnerability and poor treatment response in mood disorders.Am J Psychiatry. 2020;177(1):20-36. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010020
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