by Fr. Stanley S. Harakas
An apparently new social concern has risen in our days which highlights the abuse of children. Child abuse is generally understood in our day in broad terms, including the physical, mental, and spiritual harassment of children. Specifically, child abuse is often understood as inflicting physical harm on children such as striking. punching, whipping, depriving them of physical needs, or subjecting them to sexual perversity. Also, included in the understanding of child abuse is the psychological and emotional harm caused by excessive criticism, denigration, constant verbal maltreatment, psychological abandonment, or hatred.
