Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and Neglect Child abuse is normally characterized in physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Physical abuse is the non-accidental injury of a child. Sexual abuse entails any act of sex upon or with a child for the perpetrator's sexual gratification (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 2011). Emotional abuse entails engaging in chronic acts that interfere with a child's psycho-social health.

A classroom teacher can easily identify a child who has been abused or neglected because signs of abuse are observable in a classroom setting. Teachers also easily identify these children because of the significant time they spend with them (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 2011). The teachers can be sensitive to the chronic occurrence of the signals or sudden changes in a child's behavior which would point to a shift in this child's family environment. The frequency of repetition of these signs is reason enough for an educator to act.

Child's appearance, his behavior, and behavior of the parent could be a sign that a child is being abused physically, mentally, or emotionally.

The child may have bruises, welts or marks on...

These may be seen after some protracted absence from school. The signs can also be seen after vacation, weekend, or illness. The child may wear clothes inappropriate to the weather such as long sleeve shirt during hot weather conditions. They tend to do this to conceal the bruises inflicted on them by their abusers or because they are embarrassed about the occurrence of the abuse (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 2011). Teachers should also keenly observe children with excessive sunburn, illnesses, colds, and insect bites. These may be a pointer to the predicaments the child is facing at home especially prolonged exposure to housing conditions potentially hazardous to the child's physical health.
Children subjected to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse tend to be reluctant to change their clothes for gym activities. They do so to hide the bruises, welts, and marks. They behave in such a manner because they embarrassed of the difference in his body relative to others (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 2011). Sudden change in behavior of children who are in adolescent stage is a reason for an educator to start suspecting abuse to these children. The abused child may…