Abstract
Child abuse is any type of mistreatment of a child, and it can be in an emotional, physical, sexual, or neglectful form. It is considered a complex and serious public health issue and, according to numerous experts, child maltreatment is associated with symptoms of psychopathology and health problems (Boxer & Terranova, 2008; Hahm, Lee, Ozonoff, & Wert, 2010; Mersky & Reynolds, 2007). The Child Abuse Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 2007 defined child abuse as “any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.” There has not been much controversy on what constitutes child abuse in regards to the legal statute; the controversy involves the quandary of what is accepted as child abuse among different ethnic groups and cultures. This article will highlight the issue of culture, and it will address and analyze its influence as it relates to perpetrators of child abuse.