Child abuse refers to intentional harm against children, whether physical assault, neglect, or emotional abuse. It occurs across all societies, though rates may be higher among lower-income groups. Cultural standards vary on what constitutes abuse, from prohibiting all physical punishment in Sweden to acceptance of hitting children in some Asian and African nations. Child abuse is difficult to measure but recognized as a major social problem, especially in developed countries.

1. Child Abuse, intentional acts that result in physical or emotional harm to children. The term
child abuse covers a wide range of behavior, from actual physical assault by parents or other
adult caretakers to neglect of a child’s basic needs. Child abuse is also sometimes called child
maltreatment.
Although the extent of child abuse is difficult to measure, it is recognized as a major social
problem, especially in industrialized nations. It occurs in all income, racial, religious, and
ethnic groups and in urban and rural communities. It is, however, more common in some
groups, especially those below the poverty line.
Cultures around the world have different standards in deciding what constitutes child abuse.
In Sweden, for example, the law prohibits any physical punishment of children, including
spanking. By contrast, in some countries of Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean, parents are
expected to punish their children by hitting them.
II.TYPES
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Recovered Memories and False Memories
Can memories of early childhood abuse be forgotten and then recovered later in life?
Criminal accusations based on recovered memories pose complex questions for the legal
system and stir heated debate among psychologists. In this essay written for Encarta
Encyclopedia, psychologist Henry L. Roediger, III, of Washington University in St. Louis,
Missouri, examines the evidence on both sides of the issue.
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III.
PREVALENCE
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