Child Abuse on the Rise

According to Child Protect, an estimated two incidents of child abuse or neglect go unreported for every incident that is reported. The CDC says that at least 1 in 7 children in the United States have experienced child abuse or neglect in the past year, but this is likely an underestimate because many cases are unreported.

Facts about Child Abuse

• Approximately 5 children die every day because of child abuse.
• 1 out of 3 girls and 1 out of 5 boys will be sexually abused before they reach age 18.
• 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way. 68% are abused by a family member.
• Most children become victims of abuse and neglect at 18 months or younger.
• In 2010, 1,537 children died of abuse or neglect. 79.4% were under the age of 4 and 47.7% were under the age of 1.
• Boys (48.5%) and girls (51.2%) become victims at nearly the same rate.
• 3.6 million cases of child abuse are reported every year in the U.S.
• Abused and neglected children are 11 times more likely to engage in criminal behavior as an adult.
• About 80% of 21-year-olds who were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.
• 14% of all men and 36% of all women in prison were abused as children.
• Abused children are less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs. They’re also 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.
• For every incident of child abuse or neglect that’s reported, an estimated two incidents go unreported.
• Child abuse occurs across all socioeconomic levels, ethnic and cultural lines, and religions and education levels.
• Neglect, the most widespread form of child abuse, makes up more than 59% of abuse cases.

Know the 10 Signs of Child Abuse

Be aware, some children may show ALL or NONE of these signs.
Trust your instincts. Suspicion of abuse is enough of a reason to take action.

1. Changes in behavior. Abuse can lead to many changes in behavior. Abused children often appear scared, anxious, depressed, withdrawn or more aggressive.

2. Returning to earlier behaviors. Abused children may display behaviors shown at earlier ages, such as thumbsucking, bedwetting, fear of the dark, or fear of strangers. For some children, even loss of acquired language or memory problems may be an issue.

3. Fear of going home. Abused children may express apprehension or anxiety about leaving school or about going places with the person who is abusing them or exhibit an unusual fear of a familiar person or place.

4. Changes in eating. The stress, fear, and anxiety caused by abuse can lead to changes in a child’s eating behavior, which may result in weight gain or weight loss.

5. Changes in sleeping. Abused children may have frequent nightmares or have difficulty falling asleep and as a result may appear tired or fatigued.

6. Changes in school performance and attendance. Abused children may have difficulty concentrating in school or have excessive absences, sometimes due to adults trying to hide the child’s injuries from authorities.

7. Lack of personal care or hygiene. Abused and neglected children may appear uncared for. They may present as consistently dirty and have severe body odor, or they may lack sufficient clothing for the weather.

8. Risk-taking behaviors. Young people who are being abused may engage in high-risk activities such as using drugs or alcohol or carrying a weapon.

9. Inappropriate sexual behaviors. Children who have been sexually abused may exhibit overly sexualized behavior or use explicit sexual language and may exhibit symptoms of a genital infection.

10. Unexplained injuries. Children who have been physically abused may exhibit unexplained burns or bruises in the shape of objects. You may also hear unconvincing explanations of a child’s injuries.

Mandatory reporting laws for child abuse vary by state. The term child abuse covers a wide range of misconduct. It can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. However, it’s important to remember that many of these laws also cover child neglect.

In some states, these laws designate people in certain professions as mandatory reporters for child abuse and neglect. When one of these professionals has reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect, they must report it to a proper authority, such as local law enforcement or the child protection agency. In other states, the mandatory reporting laws provide that any person who suspects child abuse or neglect must report it. There are also clubs, youth programs, churches and places of employment that require mandatory reporting.

I believe, regardless of the state laws, that anyone who suspects abuse, should report it. A non-exhaustive list of types of reportable child abuse or neglect includes:

• Non-accidental physical injury
• Sexual exploitation or abuse
• Failure to provide for basic needs
• Mental health or emotional mistreatment
• Denial of health care
• Parental alcohol or substance abuse
• Abandonment or failure to supervise that has a negative impact on a child’s well-being