Child abuse

Child abuse is an activity (including by a parent or caregiver) towards a child that harms or endangers the child’s physical, psychological or emotional health or development. In Australia approximately over 50,000 child abuses are reported each year. That could be over 100 children a day.

In Australia child abuse is against law and law will protect everyone who report a child abuse case.

Child abuse can include: 

·         Physical abuse: punching, slapping, kicking, shaking, biting, throwing and burning;

·         Emotional or psychological abuse: constant criticism, teasing, ignoring, yelling, rejection and exposure to domestic and family violence;

·         Neglect: failing to meet the child's basic needs for adequate supervision, food, clothing, shelter, safety, hygiene, medical care and education; or

·         Sexual abuse: any act or threat to a child that is inappropriate sexually. It includes deliberate and inappropriate intimate touching, language or actions.

Child abuse can happen anywhere: at home, at school, at your friend's house, at church or at a child-care centre.

Differences between child abuse and a punishment

 The law says that parents are allowed to use physical punishment on childern but only if it is moderate and reasonable.

Whether the physical punishment is moderate and reasonable will depend on a number of factors including:

1.   child age;

2.   the instrument used for punishment;

3.   where on the child body have been hit;

4.   the force used and the number of times the child have been hit;

5.   the reason for the punishment;

6.   child size and health; and

7.    the consequences of the punishment (e.g. whether the child have been injured)