What is abuse?
"Abuse” is a generic term which includes child abuse, sexual assault, sexual exploitation or sexual harrassment.
Child abuse means the following conduct in relation to a child:
• bullying;
• emotional abuse;
• harassment;
• neglect;
• physical abuse;
• sexual abuse; or
• spiritual abuse.
Full definitions of all these terms are contained in the Code of Conduct for Clergy and Church workers Faithfulness in Service and are set out below.
Sexual abuse of a child means the use of a child by another person for his or her own sexual stimulation or gratification or for that of others. It includes:
• sexual touching and fondling;
• being forced to touch or fondle another person;
• kissing or holding in a sexual manner;
• being forced to perform oral sex;
• vaginal or anal intercourse;
• vaginal or anal penetration with an object or any bodily part;
• making any gesture or action of a sexual nature in a child’s presence;
• making sexual references or innuendo using any form of communication;
• voyeurism;
• exposure to any form of sexually explicit or suggestive material;
• discussion of, or inquiry about, personal matters of a sexual nature;
• being forced to masturbate self or others, or watch others masturbate; and
• indecent exposure.
Sexual abuse of a child does not include:
• sex education with the prior consent of a parent or guardian; or
• age appropriate consensual sexual behaviour between peers (i.e. the same or a similar age).
Sexual assault means any intentional or reckless act, use of force or threat to use force involving some form of sexual activity against an adult without their consent. It includes:
• sexual touching and fondling;
• being forced to touch or fondle another person;
• kissing or holding in a sexual manner;
• being forced to perform oral sex;
• vaginal or anal intercourse; and
• vaginal or anal penetration with an object or any bodily part.
Sexual exploitation refers to any form of sexual contact or invitation to sexual contact with an adult, with whom there is a pastoral or supervisory relationship, whether or not there is consent and regardless of who initiated the contact or invitation. It does not include such contact or invitation within a marriage.
Sexual harassment means unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, whether intended or not, in relation to an adult where the person reasonably feels in all circumstances offended, belittled or threatened. Such behaviour may consist of a single incident or several incidents over a period of time. It includes:
• implicit or explicit demands or suggestions for sexual activities;
• making any gesture, action or comment of a sexual nature to a person or about a person in their presence;
• making jokes containing sexual references or innuendo using any form of communication;
• exposure to any form of sexually explicit or suggestive material;
• unwelcome physical contact such as touching, pinching, patting or aggressive physical conduct;
• unwelcome or unnecessary discussion of, or inquiry about, personal matters of a sexual nature;
• unwelcome and inappropriate intrusion of personal space;
• voyeurism; and
• persistent following or stalking.
Why is abuse wrong?
Abuse is wrong because it demeans all concerned and because -
• the abuser uses power and dominance and which devalues the person who has been abused;
• it involves force, coercion, threat, trickery, misuse of power or seduction to achieve the abuse;
• it is an abuse of power or of the trust we may have in someone;
• it is often an act of violence;
• the person being abused experiences a lack of control and violation of their body, mind and soul;
• it usually has harmful effects on the one who has been abused. This can include emotional, physical, social and spiritual effects.
• abuse of a child is almost always a crime (a child is defined as a person under the age of 18 years). Sexual abuse of an adult is often a crime.
What is child abuse?
child abuse means the following conduct in relation to a child:
• bullying;
• emotional abuse;
• harassment;
• neglect;
• physical abuse;
• sexual abuse; or
• spiritual abuse.
What is child sexual abuse?
sexual abuse of a child means the use of a child by another person for his or her own sexual stimulation or gratification or for that of others. It includes:
• sexual touching and fondling;
• being forced to touch or fondle another person;
• kissing or holding in a sexual manner;
• being forced to perform oral sex;
• vaginal or anal intercourse;
• vaginal or anal penetration with an object or any bodily part;
• making any gesture or action of a sexual nature in a child’s presence;
• making sexual references or innuendo using any form of communication;
• voyeurism;
• exposure to any form of sexually explicit or suggestive material;
• discussion of, or inquiry about, personal matters of a sexual nature;
• being forced to masturbate self or others, or watch others masturbate; and
• indecent exposure.
Sexual abuse of a child does not include:
• sex education with the prior consent of a parent or guardian; or
• age appropriate consensual sexual behaviour between peers (i.e. the same or a similar age).
The offender often uses tricks, bribes, threats, guilt and sometimes physical force to make the child take part and to stop the child from telling anyone about it.
What is physical abuse?
physical abuse means any intentional or reckless act, use of force or threat to use force causing injury to, or involving unwelcome physical contact with, another person. This may take the form of slapping, punching, shaking, kicking, burning, shoving or grabbing. An injury may take the form of bruises, cuts, burns or fractures. It does not include lawful discipline by a parent or guardian.
Physical abuse is when a child is deliberately injured including shaking a baby or hitting, beating, burning or scalding a child or young person.
Often physical abuse of children happens in the home by a parent or carer who is angry, loses control or uses excessive physical punishment.
Physical abuse is always dangerous to children and can lead to serious physical injury. Babies and infants are especially vulnerable as they are so little and a blow to them has a greater physical impact.
What is neglect?
neglect means the failure to provide the basic necessities of life where a child’s health and development are placed at risk of harm. It includes being deprived of:
• food;
• clothing;
• shelter;
• hygiene;
• education;
• supervision and safety;
• attachment to and affection from adults; and
• medical care.
Neglect happens when adults don’t meet a child’s emotional, health and educational needs and this can cause serious and long term damage.
Neglect can happen when parent’s own needs take priority over the really important needs of children such as food, clothing or treatment for a medical condition or when a parent or carer fails to keep the child safe and well.
Emotional care by a parent or carer is also important to a child’s healthy growth, development and to help them form strong emotional bonds.
What is emotional abuse?
emotional abuse means acts or omissions that have caused, or could cause emotional harm or lead to serious behavioural or cognitive disorders. Such acts include:
• name calling;
• threats;
• ridicule;
• intimidation;
• isolation; and
• ill treatment in the form of coldness, hostility or rejection.
Emotional abuse is when adults deprive a child of love, affection and attention or when an adult continually speaks to a child in a negative or hurtful way and makes them feel worthless.
Emotional abuse hurts because it happens over a long time by someone who is important to a child.
Children see themselves as others see them. If someone continually tells the child they are not lovable and are hopeless, then the child begins to see themselves as hopeless and unlovable and can develop emotional problems.
What is Spiritual abuse?
Spiritual abuse means the mistreatment of a person by actions or threats when justified by appeal to God, faith or religion. It includes:
• the use of a position of spiritual authority to dominate or manipulate another person or group;
• isolation from friends and family members;
• claims for inappropriate deference to a person with spiritual authority; and
• the use of Christian terminology to justify abuse.
What is bullying?
Bullying means the repeated seeking out or targeting of a person to cause them distress and humiliation or to exploit them. It includes:
• exclusion from a peer group;
• intimidation; and
• extortion.
What is harrassment?
Harassment means unwelcome conduct, whether intended or not, in relation to another person where the person feels with good reason in all the circumstances offended, belittled or threatened. Such behaviour may consist of a single incident or several incidents over a period of time. It includes:
• physical contact;
• gestures or language (overt or implied) including continual and unwarranted shouting;
• unjustified or unnecessary comments about a person’s capacities or attributes;
• openly displayed pictures, posters, graffiti or written materials;
• communications in any form (for example, phone calls, email, text messages) ; and
• following or stalking.
What about Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence also harms children.
Domestic violence involves emotional, sexual or physical abuse by one or more adult members of a family towards another member in the family. Often a partner or spouse is the victim.
Children are affected when they live with such violent behaviour in their home. They feel frightened for their abused parent and for their own safety. Children can also get caught up in the physical violence and can be injured.
Some children may learn harmful ways of responding to problems from being witness to domestic violence. This can lead to problems when they mix with other children and further isolate them from possible sources of help and support.
The Church, in it’s Code of Conduct for Clergy and Church workers Faithfulness in Service specifically prohibits domestic violence: You are not to abuse your spouse, children or other members of your family.
