Children are forced or tricked into sexual activity. They might not understand that what is happening is abuse or that it is wrong.  Sexual abuse can happen in person or online.

Neglect is the ongoing failure to meet a child’s basic needs and the most common form of child abuse. A child might be left hungry or dirty, or without proper clothing, shelter, supervision or health care. This can put children and young people in danger. It can also have long term effects on their physical and mental wellbeing.

Physical abuse is when someone hurts or harms a child or young person on purpose. Physical abuse is any way of intentionally causing physical harm to a child or young person. It also includes making up the symptoms of an illness or causing a child to become unwell.

FGM is when a female’s genitals are deliberately altered or removed for non-medical reasons. It is also known as ‘female circumcision’ or ‘cutting’, but has many other names.

Emotional abuse is any type of abuse that involves the continual emotional mistreatment of a child. It is sometimes called psychological abuse. Emotional abuse can involve deliberately trying to scare, humiliate, isolate or ignore a child.

There are four main areas that children are exposed to when it comes to internet abuse:

• Children are exposed to their images being produced and shared between adults. 
• Children are exposed to explicit and offensive images
•  Children engaging in extremist ideologies or gang related activities 
• Children are groomed online for sexual abuse

Domestic abuse is any type of controlling, bullying, threatening or violent behaviour between people in a relationship. It can seriously harm children and young people and witnessing domestic abuse is child abuse.