What constitutes child abuse?
A – Under Republic Act 7610 dated August 1992, child abuse is defined as the maltreatment of the child whether habitual or not, and which may be committed in various forms. Article 1, Section 3 (b) of R.A. 7610 provides for the following instances: 1. Psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and emotional maltreatment; 2. Any act by deeds or words which debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being; 3. Unreasonable deprivation of his basic needs for survival, such as food and shelter; or, 4. Failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child resulting in serious impairment of his growth and development and in his permanent incapacity or death. 5. Further, under .R.A 7610, child abuse per se, is not punished as a distinct and separate crime but is subsumed by ordinary crimes.
