Child Abuse?

Question

What is child abuse? I mean, is spanking and slapping child abuse? Or is it more than that, like beating? I know this girl whos parents slap and hit her for "disapline" but they dont beat her...so just wondering.

once they punched her in the head. and they had her stand in the garage while they slapped her for not being polite...

Answer 1

child abuse

physical, sexual, or emotional maltreatment or neglect of children by parents, guardians, or others responsible for a child's welfare. Physical abuse is characterized by physical injury, usually inflicted as a result of a beating or inappropriately harsh discipline. Sexual abuse includes molestation, incest, rape, prostitution, or use of a child for pornographic purposes. Neglect can be physical in nature (abandonment, failure to seek needed health care), educational (failure to see that a child is attending school), or emotional (abuse of a spouse or another child in the child's presence, allowing a child to witness adult substance abuse). Inappropriate punishment, verbal abuse, and scapegoating are also forms of emotional or psychological child abuse. Some authorities consider parental actions abusive if they have negative future consequences, e.g., exposure of a child to violence or harmful substances, extending in some views to the passive inhalation of cigarette smoke (see smoking).

In practice, there are borderline areas where what constitutes child abuse is not clear. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled (1944) that parents do not have an absolute right to deny life-saving medical treatment to their children, but devout members of the Church of Christ, Scientist, and other churches believe in the healing power of prayer and do not always seek medical help. Most U.S. states, however, permit parents to use religious beliefs as a defense against prosecution for the withholding of medical treatment from their sick children, even in cases where the lack of treatment results in a child's death.

My kids get spanked when they misbehave. But they are NOT abused

Answer 2

I think that depends. Spanking or hitting should be done with an open hand, and they should not leave bruises. Red marks are just a part of the punisment, but bruises can be a sign of physical abuse. Also, there is an amount of discipline that is too much. If a child is being punished for small ridiculous things, that can be verbal abuse. For example, if a child dropped a toy once and gets yelled at for it, it does not help the child learn any better. If the child continually drops the toy after being told not to, purposefully, the parent has a right to punish the child. Its really an individual judgement thing.... if punishment seems like too much it probably is.

Answer 3

Child abuse is when an adult do something to the child that is inappropriate. Discipline is not a form of child abuse, the parent has every right to discipline the child, but hitting the child with a shoe, or any other dangerous objects is.Slapping is a little testy I would never slap a child, so I would consider that abuse. Also if a adult touches a child in the wrong area is child abuse. If any of these occur they need to be reported.

Answer 4

It's hard to say because there's sort of a fine line between discipline and abuse. If a teenager is mouthing off to her mother and her mother slaps her, I wouldn't think that is abuse, but some people might. If it is a 2-year-old being slapped in the face, that could be abuse. I would think being punched in the head is abuse. If a kid is afraid of his parents and afraid to go home because of the discipline that is being carried out, if it's leaving bruises, if it's getting to the point where the kid can't make a false move without being backhanded, then it's abuse.

Answer 5

Spanking, slapping and other forms of disciplinary actions that results in physical action that hurts a child or leaves him/her tramatised is considered an abusive action. I am attached as a Volunteer for a Community "council". Our scope (me and my wife) is to provide a temporary home to kids that are abused. It is not easy being one as most of these kid come from "unstable families" and are not disciplined at all.
Let's put it this way, why would parents wanna hit their kids until they are really hurt and end up hospitals. There must be a valid reason for them to do such an unhuman action. It could be the stress that they are having at work, financial stress or maybe others. I have a "kid" who was hospitalised for three months with scars on the head, the face and other parts of the body. Once again, to say abuse; we have to look at both angles and also listen to stories of both tha victim and also the abuser.

Answer 6

Physical child abuse is hitting a child anywhere apart from the butt/if there is any brushing or lasting mark/if an object was involved ie.belt.

Psychological child abuse is when an adult leaves lasting emotional damage which can happen from threatening a child or constantly telling them they're stupid or fat, it can also happen as an addition to sexual or physical abuse.

Sexual abuse is when an adult touches a child's genitals or breasts with malicious intent or has oral sex with them or actually has sex with them even if it is consensual it is still ileagal.

Answer 7

This is abuse. anything that leaves a mark and destroys their spirit is abuse. There is nothing wrong with a little smack but all discipline should be in a form of time out( in a safe part of the house where it is warm). Psychological damage is just as bad as physical. If the child is being abused then confidentially report them. They don't need to know it was you. To me that sounds like a bad case of abuse and you need to help the child as obviously no one else is

Answer 8

I would say slapping IS abuse, no matter who you are or what age you are. Would you accept being slapped? That will just teach her that it is acceptable for her mate to do the same thing in a heated argument.

Spanking is different than slapping.

Answer 9

I would never slap my child in the face. Spanking is dicipline, but leaving bruises, cuts, etc., is abuse. Punching a child is ABUSE. Putting a child on time-out is not abuse.

Answer 10

Child abuse is when a child is left bruised and emotionally hurt. Discipline is when a parent loves a child and corrects them with spanking. If the child is older and needs corrected then a slap would be considered discipline as long as it is not extreme.