Types of Child Abuse

Sexual abuse is defined as sexual conduct that is harmful to a child’s mental, emotional, or physical welfare. This includes acts such as indecency with a child, sexual assault, or aggravated sexual assault; failing to make a reasonable effort to prevent harmful sexual conduct; compelling or encouraging a child to engage in sexual conduct; and causing, permitting, or encouraging the photographing, filming, or depiction of a child when the person knew or should have known that the material is obscene or pornographic. (Definition from Texas Family Code, Section 261.001)

Physical abuse is defined as physical injury that results in substantial harm to a child, or the genuine threat of such harm. This includes injuries that contradict the history or explanation provided, but excludes accidents or reasonable discipline by a parent or guardian that does not expose the child to a substantial risk of harm. Physical abuse also includes the failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent another person’s actions from causing injury that results in substantial harm to the child. (Definition from Texas Family Code, Section 261.001)

Inflicting mental or emotional injury to a child, and/or causing or permitting the child to be in a situation in which the child sustains a mental or emotional injury that results in an observable and material impairment in the child’s growth, development, or psychological functioning. (Definition taken from Texas State Family Code, Section 261.001)

Neglect is defined as leaving a child in a situation where the child is exposed to a substantial risk of physical or mental harm without arranging necessary care, along with a parent or guardian’s demonstrated intent not to return. (Definition from Texas Family Code, Section 261.001)

Child Trafficking is defined as the act of causing, permitting, encouraging, engaging in, or allowing a child to be trafficked. “Trafficking” broadly involves transporting, enticing, recruiting, harboring, providing, or otherwise obtaining a person through means that would make them a victim of forced labor, involuntary servitude, or forced commercial sex acts. For sex and labor trafficking offenses, a child is defined as anyone under 18, and the actor’s knowledge of the child’s age is not required for the offense to be committed. (Definition from Texas Family Code, Section 261.001)