Child abuse is a serious issue that continues to affect millions of children worldwide. In order to effectively prevent child abuse, recognizing its signs is the best way to start. Child abuse comes in many forms – mental, emotional, physical, neglect and sexual -- but all these kinds of abuse inflict the same damage on a child's development process and behavioral patterns that the child might carry into adulthood.

For physical child abuse, the usual signs include bruises, cuts, or any unexplained skin damage. These physical manifestations can take the shape of typical kitchen utensils or cigarette butts. This kind of abuse is also seen in the child's behavior especially if he is extremely fearful of his caretaker or parents. As for sexual child abuse, symptoms usually include bleeding of the genitalia, bruises, and stained underclothes. Once a child is sexually abused, he or she may exhibit behaviors like bed-wetting and nightmares and school performance may be affected. Emotional abuse can be seen in a child's behavior especially if the child is suffering from eating disorders, nervous ticks, and delayed development of motor skills.

Once these signs are observed, it's best to report the case immediately to the parents or a social worker to prevent any further damage on the child's mental, emotional, and physical state. As of today, there are several government and non-government organizations who are willing to handle and investigate child abuse cases. These organizations have enough resources and funds to protect the victims from further abuse and to help them heal and recover from the tragedy.