Writers 
When we hear the words child abuse, many of us immediately think about a child being physically hurt. We picture bruises, injuries or other visible signs of suffering. But abuse does not always leave a mark that can be seen.
Sometimes, the deepest wounds are the ones nobody notices.
A child can be going through a difficult time in the hands of a parent, relative, teacher, guardian or even society, and still appear perfectly fine on the outside. One form of abuse that is often not addressed enough is verbal abuse. The constant insults, humiliation, shouting, threats and words that make a child feel worthless may not leave a physical scar, but they can leave something much harder to see.
And because it is not visible, people sometimes ignore it.
In many cases, children who are being abused are threatened into silence. They may be told not to tell anyone what is happening. Sometimes the person abusing them makes the behaviour seem normal, especially when the child has grown up around it. If a child is repeatedly told that being treated that way is simply part of life, they may not even understand that what is happening to them is wrong.
There is also the problem of adults looking away.
Sometimes people excuse harmful treatment because of the relationship between the abuser and the child. A parent may feel that because they gave birth to a child, they have the right to treat that child however they want. Discipline can then become the word used to justify behaviour that goes far beyond correcting a child.
Discipline should not become an excuse for cruelty.
A child is still a human being. They have feelings, fears, hopes and a sense of worth that can be affected by the way they are treated. Being a parent or guardian comes with responsibility, not unlimited permission to cause harm.
The effects of abuse can also remain long after the actual abuse has stopped.
A child who grows up constantly being insulted, neglected, threatened or mistreated may struggle with emotional trauma, low self-esteem, trust and relationships later in life. They may find it difficult to give or receive love because their early experiences taught them that love can come with pain.
This is why protecting children cannot be the responsibility of only their parents.
Every adult in society has a responsibility to pay attention. Parents, relatives, teachers, neighbours, religious leaders and other trusted adults should not simply watch when they notice that a child is suffering. We should be observant. We should ask questions. We should take children seriously when they speak about things that make them uncomfortable or afraid.
A child's suffering should not be dismissed simply because the person causing it is a parent, relative or someone respected by society.
Sometimes, speaking up may be the very thing that protects a child.
And to every child who may be experiencing abuse, there is something important you should know: silence is not golden when silence is protecting your abuser.
You deserve to be safe.
Speak to a trusted adult. Seek help. Tell someone who can protect you. What is happening to you is not your identity, and the things you have experienced do not have to determine the person you become.
There is still so much you can become.
Your past may be part of your story, but it does not have to be the ending.
And perhaps the greater responsibility belongs to all of us: to become adults who notice, adults who listen, and adults who refuse to watch a child suffer simply because it is easier to remain silent.
Because sometimes, saving a child begins with one adult deciding to pay attention.