To be considered child abuse these sexual acts must be committed by a person responsible for the care of a child or a person related to the child. Each of these forms of child abuse are very different in definition, but it doesn't matter what form of abuse the child undergoes, the child still suffers dramatically from each. .
Neglect is the number one leading cause of child abuse in Canada and the U.S. This is because adults neglect children far more often than they abuse them. Neglected children are far more invisible to the human eye than children whose lives end prematurely. "In terms of state law, neglected children are paid almost no attention." (Kimberly Mills, 2002) In 1998, 53.5% (Mills, 2002) of child abuse victims were victims of neglect. With the greatest number of child abuse victims being victims of abuse more drastic measures must be drawn to protect the 53.5% of the neglect victims from abuse, and these are only those cases in which are reported. As neglect is the most common form of child abuse it is the hardest to prosecute. Children who have been neglect may show signs of "medical problems may be a result of malnutrition, which can result in deformities and life-long poor health (Munkel, 1996). Non-organic Failure to Thrive (NFTT) is a condition found in infants in which their height and weight are below the fifth percentile, when once they were within a normal range (Wallace, 1996). The diagnosis of NFTT indicates that there is no medical, or organic, reason for the infant's condition, and it is therefore attributable to an inability of the parents to physically care for the child. NFTT can result in continued growth problems, school failure, and possible retardation" (Wallace, 1996). Munkel adds that extreme neglect can result in death. "Neglected children suffer hurts in their bodies, their minds, their emotions, and their spirits" (Munkel, 1996). Neglect is an act of omission.