Abuse is any kind of violence committed by someone in a position of trust, power or authority.
It can happen over a period of weeks or months, or it can happen once. All abuse should be taken seriously. Child abuse, in all its forms, is against the law and there are adults everywhere in this country whose job is to stop abuse and protect children. They might insult you and try to hurt your self-esteem. They might threaten you with violence, make fun of how you look or something you do, try to embarrass you, or try to isolate you from your family and friends.