Sex Crimes – Child Abuse

There are many forms of child abuse and Minnesota has very strict punishments for anyone found guilty of the crime. The offense is one that is seen as so serious that it can be upgraded to a federal crime. The U.S. Code 106g defines this particular crime. As for the victim, he or she is anyone under the age of 18 or the legal age as it is defined by the state. Sometimes the abuse is neglect by a parent or guardian, which means they have failed in their parental duties. The word “abuse” is attached to it because an abusive act can cause severe injury or death to a child.

Child Abuse types

The Department of Human Services is a state agency and it is responsible for the reporting and investigation of child abuse cases. They divide these cases into four categories based upon the specific circumstances surrounding the crime:

  • Neglect: The child is not provided with food, shelter, care, required medical attention, an education, and fail to protect the child from harm
  • Physical abuse: Inflicting physical harm upon the child
  • Mental abuse: The child’s psychological well-being is compromised through emotional abuse that makes it difficult for the child to cope with everyday living
  • Sexual abuse: A sex crime is committed against the child, including child pornography and sex with a minor

Child abuse laws were created to protect the happiness and health of children. Unfortunately, there are times when false allegations occur and this can break up families or cause innocent people to possibly pay legal penalties, so something needs to be done to protect these individuals. In most cases, the matter is one person’s word against another, making it difficult to get to the bottom of the case. This is why it is a must to seek professional legal assistance when faced with such a severe and damaging accusation.