Child Abuse

Child abuse can take many forms, including physical abuse, neglect, threats of harm, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and child pornography. Each state has a law requiring certain groups of people-such as teachers, doctors, therapists, social workers, and police-to report suspected child abuse. Others can report child abuse, too.

If state authorities suspect child abuse, they may remove a child from his or her home through a civil court procedure and place the child with relatives or in foster care. Parental rights may be terminated and the abuser may also be criminally prosecuted.