Every day around the world, thousands of innocent and defenseless children are exploited by those they trusted most. Child abuse has become as widespread as the abuse of women. Here in America, in New York, for example "an average of two children die every week due to abuse and neglect" (Stoesz and Karger). The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (Child Welfare Information Gateway) has a positive impact on American society by punishing criminals, protecting children, and promoting awareness. According to CAPTA, a child is “someone who has not reached the age of 18 years or the age specified by the child protection law of the state in which he or she resides.” Children under five are more likely to be abused because they are more vulnerable and easily accessible to sexual predators. Child abuse is the exploitation or harm suffered by a child by a parent, close family member or guardian. What are the extenuating circumstances that lead to the abuse of weak and naive children? There are a variety of reasons why one might do this. One particular reason, but certainly not an excuse, is due to unstable mental health that can be inherited genetically. “Child maltreatment was once broadly defined to include: physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect” (Stoesz and Karger). Today there are a handful more classifications under the term abuse. Four main types include physical, sexual, neglect, and emotional abuse. Physical abuse is violent or hostile bruising-like behavior caused by hitting, choking, kicking, punching, shaking, or other harmful behavior toward a child. Sexual abuse is the activity of a parent or guardian sexually exploiting a child or incest with one. Negligence is the failure to meet a person... in the middle of a sheet of paper... a correction. Washington State Department of Corrections. 2012. December 19, 2013 <>.DesLauriers, Austin T. “Sex Offender Treatment Program in Kansas.” Corrections Today 64.4 (2002): 1-7.Feiring, Candice, and Lynn S. Taska. “The Persistence of Shame Following Sexual Abuse: A Longitudinal Look at Risk and Recovery.” Child Maltreatment (2005): 337-349. North Carolina Department of Justice. "NORTH CAROLINA." Liaison section with the police. August 2013. Otterman, Sharon. "Therapist sentenced to 103 years for child sexual abuse." NY Times January 22, 2013: 1.Schulte, Brigid. "Child abuse has been found to alter the brain; the damage can last a lifetime." Washington Post September 13, 2013: A.3.Stoesz, David and Howard Jacob Karger. “Suffering Children: How Government Fails Its Most Vulnerable Citizens, Abused and Neglected Children.” Washington Monthly (1996): 20-25.