What Is Child Abuse?

It shouldn't hurt to be a kid...

• Child abuse is physical -- shaking, hitting, beating, burning, or biting a child.
• Child abuse is emotional -- constantly blaming or putting down a child; excessive yelling, shaming.
• Child abuse is sexual -- incest, any forced sexual activity, exposure to sexual stimulation not appropriate for the child's age.
• Child abuse is neglect -- a pattern of failure to provide for the child's physical needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, and medical care; a pattern of failure to provide for the child's emotional needs, such as affection, attention, and supervision.
  • About Child Abuse -- Santa Clara County Social Service Agency
  • Child abuse reporting guidelines for Sexual activity between and with minors
  • When Sexual Intercourse with a Minor Must be reported as Child Abuse: California Law
  • When to contact Child Protective Services in domestic violence cases

Every one of us can help stop child abuse.

• Help out a parent under stress with a few hours of child care or assistance with other chores.
• Lend an ear to a parent or child in crisis.
• Support programs that offer child care, parent education, family counseling, and child safety.
• Call a Parental Stress program for resources and support.

(650) 327-3333
(408) 279-8228

• If you suspect that a child has been abused
  • In cases of an immediate emergency, always call 911 for Law Enforcement intervention.
  • Where the situation is not an emergency needing the police, reports should be made to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline in the following areas:

Report Suspected Child Abuse in Santa Clara County
24-hour toll-free hotline: 1-833-SCC-KIDS

Also see Making a Child Abuse Report

What are the Consequences of Child Abuse?

• In an abusive environment, children are often expected to behave as if they are much older than they are.
• Children are often "punished" for behavior they are too young to control.
• Abusive parents do not know they have to teach the behavior they want the child to have. Punishing unwanted behavior is not enough.
• Parents and caretakers often abuse children in response to their own anger and unhappiness. It may have no relationship to what the child is doing at the time.
• Abused children
  • believe that they have no value.
  • believe that they cannot affect the world around them with good behavior.
  • feel angry and/or depressed.