Child Maltreatment: Breaking the Silence
Childhood is meant to be a time of growth, safety, and love. Yet for millions of children worldwide, this ideal is shattered by maltreatment—an umbrella term that includes abuse and neglect. Child maltreatment (CM) is a global health concern with severe consequences for children, families and society . It refers to any action or failure to act by a parent or caregiver that causes harm, could cause harm, or puts a child at risk of harm. Such experiences can lead to serious emotional, social, and cognitive problems throughout a child’s life. Child maltreatment is not only a violation of human rights, but also a pressing public health concern with lifelong consequences. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) “Child maltreatment includes all types of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, negligence and commercial or other exploitation, which results in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or...