Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is deliberately causing physical harm to a child. This might involve punching, kicking, biting, burning, scalding, shaking, throwing or beating with objects such as belts, whips, or sticks. It also includes poisoning, giving a child alcohol or illegal drugs, drowning or suffocation.

 Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of illness in a child.

 In pregnancy an unborn child can be harmed by domestic abuse.