Most State laws distinguish between sexual abuse and sexual assault. Sexual assault is usually defined as sexual acts committed by a person who is not responsible for the care of the child. Sexual abuse can involve varying degrees of violence and emotional trauma. Sexual abuse may also be committed by other relatives such as aunts, uncles, grandfathers, grandmothers, and cousins. Emotional abuse includes acts or omissions by the parents or other persons responsible for the child's care that have caused, or could cause, serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders.
Emotional abuse is the most difficult form of child maltreatment to identify.
First, the effects of emotional maltreatment, such as lags in physical development, learning problems, and speech disorders, are often evident in children who have not experienced emotional maltreatment. Second, the effects of emotional maltreatment may only become evident in later developmental stages of the child's life. Third, the behaviors of emotionally abused and emotionally disturbed children are often similar. There are some guidelines that can help distinguish between emotional disturbance and emotional abuse. The parents of an emotionally disturbed child generally recognize the existence of a problem, whereas the parents of an emotionally abused child often blame the child for the problems or ignore the existence of a problem.