ABSTRACT
The major problems identified in the literature seem to be the inadequate reporting of child abuse and a general public denial that the acts have occurred. Children under the age of 12 are protected under educational and child-welfare legislation and cannot be tried under the Young Offenders Act. Although a number of respected researchers in Canada have focused on the general cause and outcome of child abuse, few have examined the incidence of violence by and against children in this country. This chapter reviews the literature on the subset of child abuse, focusing on the incidence of violence by and against children, the relationship between the two, and the responses to violence against children. There are few comparative studies across Canada dealing with both physical and sexual violence against children. The literature on responses to child abuse consists of two approaches, namely: one that focuses on treatment and one that emphasizes punishment and deterrence.
