Child Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is a form of child maltreatment, a broad category of behaviors that also includes sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. As a general rule, physical abuse refers to the infliction of physical harm on a child by a parent or caregiver. It is not necessary for the harm to be intentionally inflicted. In fact, the majority of physical abuse is the unintentional result of corporal punishment or other harsh disciplinary methods that have escalated to the point of physical injury or the risk of physical injury. Physical abuse often occurs simultaneously with other forms of child maltreatment. An unfortunate but common example of this is when a child is hit with closed fists by a parent while also being belittled and verbally insulted. In this case, the child experiences both physical and emotional abuse.

Establishing a precise definition of physical abuse is difficult due to the different standards that can be applied to this term. For example, at what point do normal child-rearing behaviors cross the line into the realm of abuse? Although exact legal definitions vary in the United States from state to state, there are two commonly accepted types of definitional standards used to specify what is meant by physical abuse. The first is the harm standard, which considers behavior as abusive only if it results in demonstrable harm or injuries. Demonstrable harm could mean bruises, abrasions, cuts, burns, fractures, bites, or a number of other injuries. The second definitional standard for physical abuse is that of endangerment. Under this standard, physical assault by a parent or caregiver that presents a substantial risk of physical injury is considered abuse. Behaviors that would be considered abusive under this standard include hitting a child with a hard instrument or with closed fists, or burning, scalding, poisoning, suffocating, drowning, kicking, shaking, choking, and stabbing a child. Although these actions may not result in observable injuries such as bruises or cuts, they are still considered abusive under an endangerment standard. Comparing these two standards, it is clear that injury to the child is central to harm definitions, while perpetrator behavior is the focus of endangerment definitions. Furthermore, harm definitions are more restrictive and more objective than endangerment standards.