Child Abuse is the physical, psychological or sexual maltreatment of children. The CDC defines child maltreatment as any act or series of acts or commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. Most child abuse happens in a child's home, with a smaller amount occurring in the organizations, schools or communities they interact with. There are four major categories of child abuse: neglect, physical abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, and sexual abuse.

Different jurisdictions have developed their own definitions of what constitutes child abuse is for the purposes of removing a child from their family and/or prosecuting a criminal charge. The mental health journal states that child abuse is defined as “any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.”