CHILD PHYSICAL ABUSE
Intent and Harm not necessary
You need to understand that with physical abuse:
- there may not be an intent to physically harm (eg smacking that leaves a bruise) and
- harm does not have to actually occur (a baby is shaken but uninjured).
Focus is not on the intent, or the harm caused – but on the use of physical force by the perpetrator.
Just as with all abuse, there doesn’t have to be any intent to cause harm – so a parent doesn’t have to intend to harm a child to physically abuse them. But if their use of physical force does harm the child then it’s abuse. So when a parent smacks a child they may intend to punish them or deter them from certain behaviour – they may not intend to physically harm them – but if they leave a bruise or cause the child to fall and become injured – then that’s abuse.
Harm doesn’t actually have to occur for it to be physical abuse. There is no requirement for the physical force to leave a mark or result in obvious injury. The focus is really on the use of the force – not the outcome or result of the use of that force for the child.
Examples:
- holding a pillow over a child’s face so they can’t breathe causes the child discomfort and pain both emotionally and physically but shows no bruises or signs.
- the use of an electrical device to shock young children – again it causes pain and discomfort but may leave no mark or visible injury.