Apostolic Youth Ministry FORUM

I define child abuse as a non-accidental injury or pattern of injuries to a child, including physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Examples of physical abuse include hitting, biting, shaking, choking, kicking, burning, or throwing objects. Neglect includes willfully failing to provide for a child's basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, shelter or medical care, and/or failing to provide guidance and supervision. Sexual abuse includes sexual contact with a child, including incest, rape and inappropriate touching; exposure not involving contact; obscene language; or using a child for sexual photographs, films or prostitution. Emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that attacks a child's emotional development and self-worth. Examples include verbally attacking, threatening, belittling, humiliating or rejecting a child and/or failing to provide love and affection.

The Bible does tell us is this: Children have a special place in God’s heart and anyone who harms a child is inviting God’s wrath upon Him. Jesus welcomed little children to His side and said that the kingdom of God belongs to “such as these” (Mark 10:14).