Title: Child health | WHO | Regional Office for Africa
Headings: 
Factsheet: Child maltreatment
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Content: Risk factors
A number of risk factors for child maltreatment have been identified. These risk factors are not present in all social and cultural contexts, but provide an overview when attempting to understand the causes of child maltreatment. Child
It is important to emphasize that children are the victims and are never to blame for maltreatment. A number of characteristics of an individual child may increase the likelihood of being maltreated: being either under four years old or an adolescent
being unwanted, or failing to fulfil the expectations of parents
having special needs, crying persistently or having abnormal physical features. Parent or caregiver
A number of characteristics of a parent or caregiver may increase the risk of child maltreatment. These include: difficulty bonding with a newborn
not nurturing the child
having been maltreated themselves as a child
lacking awareness of child development or having unrealistic expectations
misusing alcohol or drugs, including during pregnancy
being involved in criminal activity
experiencing financial difficulties. Relationship
A number of characteristics of relationships within families or among intimate partners, friends and peers may increase the risk of child maltreatment. These include: