Which term defines an act by a family member intended to cause physical harm to another family member?

The term that best defines an act by a family member intended to cause physical harm to another family member is family violence. This term encompasses a broad range of behaviors that involve physical, emotional, or psychological harm inflicted by one family member onto another. Family violence includes not just physical assault but also various forms of coercive control, emotional abuse, and intimidation, all of which seek to establish power over the victim within a familial context.

Domestic abuse is often used interchangeably with family violence; however, it typically refers specifically to intimate partner violence and may not always encompass the broader spectrum of family dynamics. Child neglect and estrangement do not fit the context of intentional physical harm within family relationships. Child neglect pertains to the failure to meet a child's basic needs, while estrangement refers to a situation where family members have disconnected or become emotionally estranged from one another, which does not inherently involve physical harm. Therefore, family violence is the most accurate term that captures the essence of the act described in the question.