Describe the various forms of child maltreatment. Indicate who typically commits abusive incidents and who is at risk for abuse

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Child maltreatment takes the following forms:
- Physical abuse: Assaults, such as kicking, biting, shaking, punching, or stabbing, that inflict physical injury
- Sexual abuse: Fondling, intercourse, exhibitionism, commercial exploitation through prostitution or production of pornography, and other forms of exploitation
- Neglect: Failure to meet a child's basic need for food, clothing, medical attention, education, or supervision
- Emotional abuse: Acts that could cause serious mental or behavioral disorders, including social isolation, repeated unreasonable demands, ridicule, humiliation, intimidation, or terrorizing
Parents commit more than 80 percent of abusive incidents. Other relatives account for about 7 percent. The remainder are perpetrated by parents' unmarried partners, school officials, camp counselors, and other adults. Mothers engage in neglect more often than fathers, whereas fathers engage in sexual abuse more often than mothers. Maternal and paternal rates of physical and emotional abuse are fairly similar. Infants and young preschoolers are at greatest risk for neglect; preschool and school-age children for physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.