Child abuse happens in all cultural, ethnic, and income groups. Child abuse is the harm or neglect of a child, as in physical, emotional, (including verbal), sexual and/or exploitation.

Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent abuses a child for sexual stimulation; physically and / or visually. Being abused as a child may have serious and long-lasting effects on a person, through-out their adult life. The effects of child sexual abuse include: Depression, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, tendency to re-victimization in adulthood, physical injury, serious and long-term psychological trauma, especially in the case of parental incest. Additional symptoms of Child Abuse include: Loss of confidence, dignity and self respect, low self-esteem and poor self-worth, severe sense of shame, poor body image, hopelessness, finding it difficult to trust others, including close family and friends, eating disorders i.e. bulimia, anorexia nervosa and over-eating, nightmares, sleep disturbances, inability to relax and enjoy life, the early loss of innocence and childhood, anxiety, guilt and fear, relationship and sexual dysfunction, withdrawal, and acting out, a sexual obsession or compulsion, subsequent self despising and difficulties in relating to the opposite sex. Child sexual abuse is also strongly connected to the development of addictive behavior and borderline personality disorder.

Also known as domestic abuse, domestic violence, spousal abuse or intimate partner violence (IPV). This is as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one (or both) partner(s) in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, friends or cohabitation, pertaining to the domination and control of another person. Domestic violence includes physical aggression (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, throwing objects), or threats thereof; sexual abuse, emotional abuse, controlling or domineering, intimidation, stalking, passive/covert abuse (e.g., neglect) and economic deprivation.

Self-harm pertains to causing physical injury to oneself. A person who practises self-harm may do so regularly, or only occassionaly. It seems to be a way of coping with a specific problem and they stop once the problem is resolved. Known Self-Harm behaviours include: Cutting, burning, overdosing on tablets or medicines, punching, throwing the body against an object, pulling out of hair or eyelashes, scratching, picking or tearing at their skin, inhaling or sniffing harmful substances, swallowing objects, inserting objects into the body, tying thread, wire or cord around the neck, arms, or legs to restrict the flow of blood, ingesting small amounts of toxic substances or objects to cause discomfort and damage but with no intention to die.