RESUMEN
Child abuse is a world wide phenomenon and had become a major concern in many countries throughout the world. The problem was found to be serious for many children due to its toxic outcomes for children and society. To identify the prevalence rate of child abuse and its epidemiological features among a sample of preparatory school children in Benha city. This is a cross-sectional study was carried out at preparatory schools of Benha city during the academic year 2006-2007. Three hundred thirty students were selected by systematic random method from the chosen schools. Data was collected by using self administrated questionnaire that included socio-demographic characteristics and child traumatic questionnaire. The study revealed that 75.8% of the studied group had exposed to child abuse and 28.6% of females were not exposed to abuse versus 19.4% among male students. Combined form of abuse [28.4%], emotional [24%] and physical abuse [20.4%] were the more prevailing types. Only 10.1% of students belonging to low social class had not exposed to child abuse and students belonging to married parents had recorded the higher percentage [28.5%] of absence of abuse among them. Students belonging to below secondary school graduated fathers had exposed to combined form of abuse [24.3%], emotional abuse [21.8%] and physical abuse [16.3%] with frequencies higher than that recorded among students belonging to university graduated fathers. More than half of abused children [51.6%] had exposed to abuse at homes followed by those at schools [27.2%]. it could be concluded that child abuse and neglect is a big problem among prep school children because the prevalence rate in the study sample is 75.8% and there are many risk factors had shared in its Prevailing. National program is needed to prevent all forms of child abuse for all children and to control the problem through intervention strategies directed to parents, children, health care professionals, school staff and governmental and non governmental organizations to show how to prevent, diagnose and cope with the problem