Whether it takes the form of physical acts (physical abuse) or psychological acts (psychological abuse, exposure to domestic violence) or a failure to meet children’s needs (neglect), child abuse affects many children every year. The scientific community, as well as the World Health Organization, now recognize this issue as a serious public health problem. The consequences it has on a person’s development are significant and are increasingly being documented through longitudinal studies. This article provides an overview of the current understanding of the short- and long-term consequences of child maltreatment. More specifically, the socio-emotional, physical, neurobiological, and cognitive consequences are addressed. The impacts of abuse based on their chronicity and co-occurrence are also discussed. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of taking proactive action as early as possible to address this issue.