What Are Child Abuse Laws?

Child abuse laws address the issue of protecting children's welfare by criminalizing mistreatment of children, requiring the reporting of suspected child abuse, and providing abused children with special rights in filing civil cases against their abusers. The nature of child abuse laws varies by jurisdiction, with some areas providing more comprehensive protections for children than others. Some child abuse laws specifically exist to facilitate government and private agencies that investigate cases of child abuse and provide for the care and treatment of children who have been subject to abuse.

In many places, children are recognized as being especially vulnerable to various types of abuse and exploitation. As a result, laws have been enacted that provide harsher punishments to individuals who physically, sexually, and in some cases emotionally abuse children. Laws in some places classify crimes committed against children as more serious than a similar crime committed against an adult. An example of this can be found in the sexual assault laws of many jurisdictions, which automatically classify the sexual molestation or rape of a minor as an aggravated sex crime. The law may also require that a report of such a crime be investigated not only by law enforcement but by a social welfare agency charged with determining whether a child's living situation is a safe one.

Another class of child abuse laws are mandated reporting laws, which require certain individuals to report any suspicion of child abuse to a social service agency. Individuals covered by these laws typically include teachers, clergy, and hospital employees. In addition, some jurisdictions have passed laws that extend the statute of limitations on filing lawsuits against abusers in situations where the abused party was a child at the time of the incident or incidences. This allows individuals who were abused as children to seek compensation from their victimizers once they have reached adulthood.

Laws that address child abuse may also establish and fund programs that engage in child abuse prevention efforts, establish treatment programs for abused children, and encourage the reporting of child abuse. For example, a law may establish designated agencies for the investigation of child abuse as well as the housing and care of abused children. In other cases, laws may allow for the government to recognize or charter private social service agencies to provide child abuse services and may likewise provide taxpayer money to these organizations, even if the organizations also receive private funding.