Which type of abuse involves acts intended to give sexual gratification to an adult through a child?

Child sexual abuse specifically involves any sexual act or behavior directed toward a child that aims to provide sexual gratification to an adult. This can include a wide range of actions, such as engaging in sexual touching, exploitation, or using a child for pornography. The primary distinction of this type of abuse is the intent behind the actions, which is to satisfy the sexual desires of the perpetrator, thus placing the child in a vulnerable and harmful situation.

In contrast, child physical abuse refers to non-accidental physical harm or injury, child neglect pertains to the failure to provide necessary care, supervision, or emotional support, and child psychological abuse involves harming a child’s emotional well-being, such as through verbal abuse or manipulation. These forms of abuse do not share the direct sexual intent that characterizes child sexual abuse, making it crucial to understand their differences in the context of identifying and addressing various types of maltreatment.