What is Child Abuse?

The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) Standards for Services for Abused or Neglected Children and Their Families provide the following generally accepted definitions of child maltreatment:

Physical Abuse. Physical acts by parents or caregivers that cause, or could have caused, physical injury to the child.

Neglect. Failure of parents or other caregiver, for reasons not solely due to poverty, to provide the child with needed, age-appropriate care, including food, clothing, shelter, protection from harm, supervision appropriate to the child's development, hygiene, education, and medical care.

Sexual Abuse. Sexual activity, by a parent or other caregiver, with a child, including but not limited to any kind of sexual contact through persuasion, physical force, or other coercive means; exploitation through sexual activity that is allowed, encouraged, or coerced; and child prostitution or pornography.

Emotional Maltreatment. Parental or other caregiver acts or omissions, such as rejecting, terrorizing, berating, ignoring, or isolating a child, that cause or are likely to cause the child serious impairment of his or her physical, social, mental, or emotional capacities.

What do you do if you suspect a child is being abused or neglected?

IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY, CALL YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. They can ensure the immediate safety of the child and get medical attention if needed.

Call your state or local child abuse hotline. In New Jersey, call 1-877-NJ ABUSE (652-2873) 24 hours a day - 7 days a week, 1-800-835-5510 (TTY/TDD for the deaf).

If you believe a child has been abused or neglected, you have a legal responsibility to report it. The New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) is required by law to investigate reports of child abuse and neglect.

If you are unsure how to report, contact Childhelp USA® National Child Abuse Hotline by telephone at 1-800-4-A-CHILD for information about how to report in your community.

Remember: Suspicion of abuse is all that is necessary to file a report and your information can be given anonymously.