child abuse

American  

noun

1. mistreatment of a child by a parent or guardian, including neglect, beating, and sexual molestation.

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child abuse British  

noun

1. physical, sexual, or emotional ill-treatment or neglect of a child, esp by those responsible for its welfare See also nonaccidental injury

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Etymology

Origin of child abuse

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

child abuse

Advocates have begun passing new laws replacing anonymous reporting to child abuse hotlines with confidential reporting.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

Eshghi is campaigning for a change in the law around sentencing guidelines for historical child abuse cases.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

Although Hatami understands the reasoning behind SB 1437, he believes the law should be amended to exempt child abuse cases.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026

Tony, who received the British Empire Medal for services to the prevention of child abuse, told the BBC he was "so happy it's finally happening and that children will be more protected".

From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026

But it turned out the notion that being a middle kid was a form of child abuse was greatly exaggerated.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi