Abuse takes place when one person is forced to do something against their will, or if they are subjected to something they do not want to happen.
This abuse can be physical, mental, emotional,spiritual or sexual in nature - the end result of which is harm.
It is important to tell someone what is going on for you - many abusers threaten and the person then feels that there will be awful danger if anyone should find out. Normally the threats are because the person doing it is afraid of being caught out.
Certainly within the UK there are guidelines for caring professions to follow if children are being abused at all -and it is very important to follow those guidelines and help the child in that way.
If the person you know or indeed you is an adult then it is important to tell others about what is going on for you - there are always solutions - you just have to find them.
For me the most important thing is that it is not enough just to live - you need to be able to live well and not just survive.
(read "Beyond Survival" by Yvonne Dolan available from Brief Therapy Press London)
Any issue of harm to children