Types of Child Abuse

Child abuse can be:

• Emotional: anything said or done that is hurtful or threatening to a child, such as name calling, belittling a child, or making threats of harm.
• Sexual
• Physical: any type of contact that results in bodily harm or bruising, or physically restraining a child improperly.
• Neglect: not meeting the basic needs of the child, including not giving essential medicines or food, leaving a child unsupervised, providing inadequate protection from the weather.

​What happens when I call in a report?

When a report is received, it is screened by a supervisor to decide whether it should be investigated. If the report warrants an investigation, it is then assigned to a worker. First, the worker will interview the child privately. Then every member of the household is interviewed privately. At least one non-family member (teacher, doctor, etc.) who knows the child is interviewed. When the facts back up an abuse report, the department will make a report to the district attorney within 72 hours. The district attorney determines whether criminal charges can be filed.