The physical or emotional or sexual mistreatment of children(noun)
WordNet. Princeton University. 2010.
Use "child abuse" in a sentence
"She decided to leave and take a job with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services DCFS, where she investigated child abuse and neglect, hardly a more uplifting career choice."
"Here again may be an example of gene-environment interaction: the genetic susceptibility conferred by MAOA becomes apparent only when the environmental experience of child abuse is added to the picture."
"It is child abuse of the worst order, waged by awful perverts called gym teachers—mine was named Ms. MacNeeley."