Discipline is designed to help children control and change their behavior. Its purpose is to encourage moral, physical and intellectual development and a sense of responsibility in children. Abuse is characterized by its orientation toward satisfying needs or expressing the negative feelings of parents or other caregivers. While it may result in positively changing the child's behavior, often the improvement is temporary and followed by a later acting out of the hatred, revenge and hostility they have learned from their parents. To avoid further abuse, children may lie, run away or exhibit other forms of avoiding responsibility.
Abuse tends to damage the self-esteem of both parents and the children.
Safe, effective discipline is a correction given in love. A child is physically injured by other than accidental means. A child is being subjected to willful cruelty or unjustifiable punishment. Failure to provide warmth, attention, supervision, normal living experiences. Any kind of contact with a child could be considered a sexual act.