Child Maltreatment
About Child Maltreatment
Types of Child Maltreatment
How common is it?
What causes it?
How long does it last?
What treatments are effective?
A review of the evidence

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Types of Child Maltreatment

Physical assault consists of shaking, shoving, grabbing, hitting with a hand or with an object, choking/strangling, burning, poisoning, punching, kicking, biting, or throwing a child.

Sexual abuse is attempted or completed penetration, oral sex, sex talk, fondling, voyeurism, or sexual exploitation.

Neglect refers toa lack of supervision that leads to harm; allowing a child to engage in criminal activity; failure to provide physical care, medical or psychological treatment  (e.g., vaccinations or treatment for learning problems or mental health problems) or education; and abandonment.

Emotional harm is hostile, abusive or unreasonable behavior toward a child.  It may involve frequent or extreme verbal abuse that is threatening, demeaning, or insulting.

Exposure to family violence includes allowing a child to witness violent behavior between parents or allowing him/her to overhear it. [1]

Emotional neglect happens when a child is exposed to violence between adults who are not the child’s primary caregivers.

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1.	Canada. National Clearinghouse on Family Violence. Child Maltreatment in Canada: Overview Paper. Prepared by Susan Jack, et al. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada, 2006.