As defined by the Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law (2006), child abuse is "Child abuse occurs when a parent or caretaker physically, emotionally, or sexually mistreats or neglects a child resulting in the physical, emotional, or sexual harm or exploitation, or imminent risk of harm or exploitation, or in extreme cases the death, of a child. Laws regarding child abuse seek to protect children while at the same time allowing parents the right to raise and discipline their children as they see fit."



Reference
Child Abuse/Child Safety/Discipline. (2006). In J. Wilson (Ed.), Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law (2nd ed., Vol. 1, pp. 741-744). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX2588700141&v=2.1&u=uprcarolina&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w