Child abuse is, undoubtedly, a traumatic experience. In order to be child abuse, the act must be perpetrated by a person who is charged with the child's care, such as a parent or babysitter. There are several types of abuse: neglect and verbal, psychological/emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Witnessing domestic violence can also be construed as child abuse. Read on — you might be surprised to find out which type of abuse is the most common.

Neglect — The Most Common Form of Child Abuse

According to Speaking Up: How to Help the Children You Work with Who Live in Abusive Homes, the most common form of child abuse is neglect: an astounding 60 percent of child abuse cases involve neglect. This is a number that has been relatively constant over the years.

Neglect is a “sin of omission.” It's the failure of a parent or caregiver to act. This can range from a lack of supervision — leaving a small child in the bathtub or a six-year-old to care for himself overnight — to not providing adequate nourishment, clothing, or medical care despite the ability to do so.

Other Types of Abuse

Other types of abuse include:

• Verbal abuse: yelling, name-calling, insults, telling a child to shut up.

• Psychological/emotional abuse: threats, harsh and constant criticism, rejection, abandonment, withholding love, support, or guidance. Since all other forms of abuse have a traumatic psychological/emotional effect, they can also fit under this category.

• Physical abuse: Hitting, pushing, throwing objects at a child, burning a child, choking, shaking, whipping.

• Sexual abuse: incest, rape, fondling a child's genitals, penetration, sodomy, indecent exposure, exploitation (includes child prostitution or production of pornographic materials featuring children).