Targets of Child Abuse
What is a “Child?”
- A “child” refers to a person under the age of 18 (Article 3, subparagraph 1 of the Child Welfare Act).
Scope of Child Abuse
What is “Child Abuse?”
- “Child abuse” refers to an adult, including a guardian, exerting physical, mental, or sexual violence or cruel treatment to children, which may impair the child’s health or welfare or from growing properly. Furthermore, a guardian neglecting or abandoning his/her child is also considered child abuse (Article 3, subparagraph 7 of the Child Welfare Act).
※ Types of Child Abuse
▪ Physical Abuse
- “Physical Abuse” refers to all actions taken by an adult, including the guardian, to a child intentionally to cause physical damage or allow physical damage to occur.
▪ Mental Abuse
- “Mental Abuse” refers to verbal insults, mental threats, detention, suppression, or other mistreatments exerted by an adult, including the guardian, to a child. Mental abuse is also called verbal or psychological abuse.
▪ Sexual Abuse
- “Sexual Abuse” refers to an adult, including the guardian, exerting any sexual behavior to children under the age of 18 to satisfy his/her sexual pleasure.
▪ Neglecting or Ignoring the Child
- “Neglecting or ignoring” the child refers to a guardian leaving his/her child in dangerous environments or refusing to provide essential things for a child, such as food, clothing, shelter, compulsory education, medical measures, etc. “Abandoning” the child means the guardian refuses to protect the child and leaves him/her alone without support.