Define child abuse.

Define child abuse.

• A. Means physical, emotional or sexual injury to children
• B. Is a lack of punishment for bad behavior
• C. Occurs only in households with violence
• D. Is teaching bad habits

Answer: (A)

Child abuse means causing harm to a child in one or more forms—physical, emotional, or sexual. This captures the different ways a child can be harmed and emphasizes that abuse involves injury or harm to the child, not just strictness or discipline. The other statements don’t fit because punishment for bad behavior is not abuse, abuse isn’t limited to households with visible violence, and teaching bad habits isn’t the same as causing harm.

Child abuse means causing harm to a child in one or more forms—physical, emotional, or sexual. This captures the different ways a child can be harmed and emphasizes that abuse involves injury or harm to the child, not just strictness or discipline. The other statements don’t fit because punishment for bad behavior is not abuse, abuse isn’t limited to households with visible violence, and teaching bad habits isn’t the same as causing harm.