Child abuse in its simplest terms is the mistreatment of a child, generally by a parent or guardian. However, this term can then branch out into four more specific forms of abuse: physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. The first of these, physical abuse, refers to the deliberate use of physical force against a child. Physical abuse can occur in several forms, including but not limited to hitting, punching, strangling, forced ingestion, and burning.
