Child Abuse
What is Child Abuse?
In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the definition of child abuse is defined as the non-accidental commission of any act upon a child under age 18 which causes, or creates a substantial risk of, physical or emotional injury; or constitutes a sexual offense under the laws of the Commonwealth; or any sexual contact between an adult and a child.
Child Sexual Abuse
A central characteristic of child sexual abuse is the dominant position of an adult (or between two children) that allows him or her to force or coerce a child into sexual activity. This includes acts such as:
- Touching, fondling or kissing
- Sexual acts with a child: penetration, intercourse, incest, oral sex, sodomy
- Child pornography: using a child in the production of pornography
- Exposing a child to pornography: movies, magazines, internet
- Violations of bodily privacy
- Forcing a child to undress, spying on a child in the bathroom
- Luring a child for sexual liaisons, through the internet or any other way
- Exposing a child to adult sexuality
- Showing sex organs to a child, forcing a child to watch adult sex acts
- Sexual exploitation: using a child to perform sex acts with others
- Communicating in a sexual manner: either through phone, letter, or internet
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is when an adult (or between two minors) causes a physical injury through hitting, striking, grabbing, or using an object in a manner which results in:
- Skin bruising
- Broken bones
- Subdural hematoma
- Bleeding
- Burns
- Impairment of any organ
- Soft tissue swelling
- Addiction to a drug or drugs at birth
Witness to Domestic Violence
A child who has witnessed any criminal act of abuse committed by one family or household member against another. This could include:
- Attempting to cause or causing physical harm
- Placing another in fear of imminent serious physical harm
- Causing another to engage involuntarily in sexual relations by force, threat, or duress
- Domination of household member through physical, emotional, sexual, economic control, and neglect
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC)
CSEC is a form of child sexual abuse which includes compensation in the form of something of value to the child (money, goods, services, transportation, shelter) for any sexual act, action or photograph and preys upon a child’s age or other vulnerabilities. Any child is at risk for exploitation, but those with the following risk factors are especially vulnerable:
- Has unmonitored access to the internet
- History of substance use (personal or in the home)
- History of sexual abuse
- Identifies at LGBTQIA+
- Has developmental or intellectual disabilities
- Doesn’t feel others “get them”
- Goes missing from care / on the “run”
- Comes from a family with questionable legal status
- In foster care or placement by DCF
- Disrupted home/school life
