Parent physically injures or inflicts serious pain on the child.
Sounds of Abuse Physical abuse goes beyond the limits of discipline practices which include minor spanking or paddling by being more frequent and by inflicting more physical damage. Legal criteria for physical abuse typically require observable physical evidence of dam age in the form of bruises, cuts, broken bones, scars, and skin abrasions. Causes Doing serious physical damage to one's own child goes against the legal, social, and moral standards of society, as well as biological instincts. Most parents who physically abuse their children know this. There is no single reason.