Child abuse is any act of omission or commission that endangers or impairs a child’s physical or mental health and development. In various races and different cultures, it is generally accepted that parents should love and care for their children. Yet in some circumstances, it is prevalent in our society that some children are being neglected; or abused.

Types

• Physical abuse: non-accidental physical injuries which exceed reasonable child disciplines.
• Sexual abuse: sexual interference; invitation to sexual touch; procuring sexual activities from a child, etc.
• Emotional abuse: emotional harm result from constant yelling, rejection, isolation, terrorization.
• Neglect: failure to provide basic needs such as adequate food, clothing, sleep, safety, supervision or medical treatment.

Parenting suggestions:

• Adopt more positive means of parenting. Discard some traditional Chinese values such as punishment. Such an idea is used to produce filial piety and obedience which were considered the principal virtue and fundamental obligation of any child. The fact is that children who have experienced excessive child disciplines may become rebellious and frustrated. Apart from ruining the parent-child relationship, there will often be long lasting and detrimental effects upon the child’s growth and development.
• Do not believe that “Parenting is a family matter and it has nothing to do with others.” The sample fact is that we should all care about children. Any act which creates substantial risk or harm to a child is against the law. Perpetrators (which may include a child’s parents, family members or other caregivers) are liable to be held legally responsible. Everyone is responsible for reporting child abuse or neglect when there are reasonable grounds to even suspect a child may be in need of protection. Delay in reporting abuse can place a child at further risk.
• Mandated by the Child & Family Services Act, with the responsibility of providing protection for children in need, Children’s Aid Societies (CAS) work closely with families, foster homes, courts, police and other community service agencies to promote the best interests of the children they serve.

What should you do if a child discloses abuse?

• It is important for you to keep calm, accept and trust the child. Encourage the child to tell you what happened in his/her own words, let the child know what has happened is not his/her fault. Assure the child that you will try your best to help them.
• After a disclosure of abuse or neglect, contact the police or Children’s Aid Society (CAS) as soon as possible.

虐待兒童是指任何行為，因疏忽或未盡責任導致危及或傷害兒童身體、心理健康的發展。

形式種類
肉體虐待：對兒童施加暴力，造成非意外的身體傷害。
性虐待：對兒童進行性侵犯，包括觸摸性器官；引誘兒童參與性活動等。
情緒虐待：經常被惡意呼喝、抗拒、離間、恐嚇等引致情緒方面的傷害。
疏忽：未盡責任、沒有提供兒童基本的需要，例如足夠的食物、衣物、睡眠、安全、督導或醫療所需。

一些事實

• 教導子女應該採取一些較正面的方式。父母必須摒棄某些中國傳統的管教觀念。例如：「棒下出孝兒」。誤信兒童必須被打才可以屈服，甚至成材。事實是過度體罰令兒童反叛及不滿，除了傷害父母及子女間的感情外，對兒童的成長，亦造成長期負面的影響。
• 不要認為「管教子女是家事，與其他人無關。」事實是我們每個人都應該關心兒童。凡是危及或傷害兒童都是犯法的。施虐者 (包括兒童的父母、家人或照顧他/她的任何人仕) 需要負法律上的責任。任何人都有責任立刻舉報虐待兒童以及疑似有兒童被傷害或忽略的事件。延誤舉報可能令兒童陷於更加不利的處境。
• 安省的「家庭及兒童法令」是保護兒童的主要法則。大多市保護兒童會為有需要的家庭提供服務，援助被虐或缺乏照顧的兒童。並與寄養家庭、法庭、警署及其他社區機構通力合作，以期達到保護兒童的最大權益。

發現虐待兒童事件的處理

• 與兒童討論有關虐待事件時，必須鎮定、接納和相信他們。鼓勵兒童說出經過。
• 告訴兒童這不是他們的過錯。保證會盡力協助他們。
• 盡快通知大多市保護兒童會

保護小孩！虐待兒童？

在不同種族、不同文化，一個中外不變的事實是「天下的父母都深愛自己的子女。」然而，在某些情況下，社會上仍然有些孩子被忽略，甚至被虐待。

資料來源：Chinese Family Services of Ontario 家和專業輔導中心