The Most Frequently "Asked About" Issues Regarding Child Abuse and Neglect
Number of Child Abuse/Neglect Reports Nationwide: In
1990, an estimated 2.5 million children were officially reported for child abuse
and neglect to child protective services agencies in the United States. This figure
represents a 31% increase over the number of reports in 1985. Overall, 39 out
of every 1,000 children were reported for maltreatment last year.
Types of Maltreatment and Percentage of Reports: Approximately
27% of the children are reported for physical abuse, 16% for sexual abuse, 49%
for neglect, and 8% for emotional maltreatment. (Since most cases of emotional
maltreatment also involve other forms of abuse or neglect, many states include
these cases under the broader heading of abuse or neglect).
False Reports: Although approximately 50% of reports nationally
are considered to be 'unsupported' or 'unfounded' cases upon investigation, evidence
suggests that outright false allegations of child abuse/neglect are rare occurrences.
(In one study of 576 allegations, only 8% were found to be false. Of the 8%, only
2% were reports made by children; the other 6% were false reports by adults).
Child Fatalities: In 1990, over 1,200 child abuse and
neglect related fatalities were reported. While the number increased less than
1% between 1989 and 1990, these figures represent an increase of 38% between 1985
and 1990. Unfortunately, the children who are most vulnerable to serious or fatal
injury as a result of abuse or neglect continue to be primarily young children,
with 90% under 5 years of age and over 50% under the age of one.
Child Sexual Abuse: Retrospective studies of adult populations estimate
that anywhere from 15 to 38% of females have suffered some form of sexual maltreatment
prior to reaching the age of eighteen; the number of male victims is often cited
at 10%
Sex Abuse in Day Care: A recent study of 270 disclosed cases (occurring
during the two-year period of 1983-1985) of child abuse in center-based daycare,
involving 1,639 victims, revealed no especially high risk of sexual abuse for
children sent to such a setting. According to the study's figures, an average
of 5.5 children per 10,000 enrolled in day care are sexually abused, while an
average of 8.9 children per 10,000 are sexually abused in the home. (Day care
facilities with a large number of staff members and where parents have ready access
to their children were associated with a lower incidence of abuse).
Substance Abuse and Child Abuse: Because of the substantial limitations
substance abuse and dependency plays on a parent's ability to adequately care
for his or her child, families presenting these problems are at an increased risk
for fatal maltreatment. Up to 80% of all family violence cases involve drinking,
whether before, during or after a critical incident. While nationwide the percentage
of cases involving substance abuse has historically remained at 30 or 40%, current
estimates range from 20 to 90% and include a greater number of more violent and
dependent drug addicts.
Child Abuse and Adult Criminal Behavior: The majority of research on
the relationship between child abuse and adult crime has involved interviews or
self-report questionnaires with an incarcerated population, or with identified
juvenile offenders. Such studies have consistently documented a high rate of child
abuse victimization among both adult and juvenile offenders. No empirical evidence
exists, however, which establishes a clear casual link between child maltreatment
and criminal behavior. Case files of 863 delinquent male adolescents incarcerated
in Ohio showed that 85% had been reported abused. In a sample of 113 post-released
convicted male felons surveyed in Oregon, those who reported a history of child
abuse, in some form, were eight times more likely to have been convicted of a
sex offense than those felons not reporting childhood abuse.
Physical Abuse | Emotional
Abuse | Sexual Abuse | Physical
Neglect | Emotional Neglect
Nature of Abuse | Reporting
Abuse in AZ | Asked About Issues
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