Defining family violence, partner abuse and child abuse and neglect

CALD Family Violence Resource

eCALD Supplementary Resources

The following terms and definitions will be used through-out this document (Fanslow, J. L. Family Violence Intervention Guidelines. Wellington: Ministry of Health, 2002).

Term	Definition
Child	In this document the word child refers to children/tamariki aged 0-14 years inclusive. Note that the Child, Young Persons and their Families Act covers young people up to their 17th birthday.
Child Protection	Activities carried out to ensure the safety of the child in cases where there is abuse or risk of abuse.
Child Abuse	The harming (physically, emotionally, or sexually), ill treatment, abuse, neglect or serious deprivation of any child/tamariki, or young person (Section 14b Children, Young Persons and their Families Act, 1989).
Physical Abuse	Child physical abuse is any act or acts that may result in inflicted injury to a child or young person.
Child Sexual Abuse	Child sexual abuse is any act or acts that result in the sexual exploitation of a child or young person, whether consensual or not.
Child Emotional/ Psychological Abuse	Child emotional/psychological abuse is any act or omission that results in impaired psychological, social, intellectual and/or emotional functioning and development of a child or young person.
Neglect	Child neglect is any act or omission that results in impaired physical functioning, injury, and/or development of a child or a young person. This includes physical and medical neglect, neglectful supervision, abandonment and refusal to assume parental responsibility.
Family Violence	Violence or abuse of any type, perpetrated by one family member against another family member. It includes child abuse, partner abuse and elder abuse.
Physical Abuse	Includes acts of violence that may result in pain, injury, impairment or diseases, may include hitting, choking or in any way assaulting another person, and also under/over medication. There is usually visible evidence of physical abuse (bruising, fractures, burns, lacerations etc) though the difference between accidental injury and abuse can be slight and require expert investigation.
Psychological/Emotional Abuse	Includes any behaviour that causes anguish or fear. Intimidation, harassment, damage to property, threats of physical or sexual abuse, removal of decision-making powers (in relation to adults) and (in relation to a child) exposing the child to physical, psychological or sexual abuse of another person. Concerted attacks on an individual’s self-esteem and social competence results in increased social isolation.
Sexual Abuse	Includes any forced, coerced or exploitive sexual behaviour or threats imposed on an individual, including sexual acts imposed on a person unable to give consent, or sexual activity when an adult with mental incapacity is unable to understand.
Partner Abuse (also called intimate partner violence)	Physical or sexual violence, psychological/emotional abuse, or threat of physical or sexual violence that occurs between intimate partners. Intimate partners include current spouses (including de facto spouses), current non-marital partners (including dating partners, heterosexual or same-sex), former marital partners and former non-marital partners.
Routine Screening	Routine enquiry, either written or verbal, by health care providers to patients about personal history of partner abuse. Unlike indicator-based questioning, routine questioning means routinely questioning all women aged 16 years and over about abuse. The enquiry is usually made within the social history.
Young Person	14-17 years old.