Childhood Maltreatment Rates

The demographics of this population are broad and broken down into the categories of “victims” and “perpetrators”, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children’s Bureau, commonly known as the ACF (2012). The ACF reported that children in their first year of life experienced the highest rates of maltreatment, with a ratio of 24.4 per 1,000 children in that age bracket, in the United States (2012). This shows that the youngest children are the most vulnerable in the target population that CAPTA serves to protect. While children in their first year are the most vulnerable, it is also reported that children under the age of three make-up nearly 25% of the population of child maltreatment and abuse in the United States, and not only were these children more at risk of being abused, but also more at risk of fatality as a result of abuse. The ACF reported that in 2014, 71% of all child abuse and neglect fatalities were children under the age of three (2012). Age is an important factor in the demographics of mistreated children; however, there are other factors that can increase the likelihood of maltreatment, such as gender and race. Child abuse rates between boys and girls tend to be similar, yet

In addition, about 16% of the children suffered from physical abuse, while 9% of the children suffered from sexual abuse”. The amount of children being abused and neglected does not stop there; “7% of children suffered from psychological maltreatment, 2% experienced medical neglect while 9% of children suffered from other forms of maltreatments” (CAPTA, 2010).

Child maltreatment is a preventable public health problem. Research has demonstrated that neighborhood structural factors (e.g. poverty, crime) can influence the proportion of a neighborhood’s children who are victims of maltreatment. A newer strategy is the identi- fication of potentially modifiable social processes at the neighborhood level that can also influence maltreatment. Toward this end, this study examines neighborhood-level data (maltreatment cases substantiated by Illinois’ child protection agency, 1995–2005, social processes measured by the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, U.S. Census data, proportions of neighborhoods on public assistance, and crime data) that were linked across clusters of contiguous, relatively

African American children are often portrayed as children who are abused. Many times it is shown on TV or movies or in novels. People are vulnerable to information that they see every day; yet, this information may or may not be 100 % accurate. “In 1982 black children were 22 % of all child maltreatment reports. In 1984 black children were 20.8 % of all Child Protective Services cases” (Hampton 4).

These factors lead way for the continuum of abuse and neglect being passed on through family generations. Parents who were raised in an abusive household were commonly associated with abusing or neglecting their own children out of commonality and pattern related to what they knew as a child (Dixon, Browne, and Hamilton-Giachritsis 2005). “Straus (1980) not only found support for the hypothesis that ‘violence begets violence,’ but they also provide data which demonstrate that the grater the frequency of violence, the greater the chance that the victim will grow up to be a violent partner or parent” (Gelles 1980).

INTRODUCTION The conceptualisation of the long-term effects of child maltreatment reflects the surrounding circumstances which expose child abuse as a common event. Childhood abuse is a growing epidemic which evokes extreme emotional responses both privately and publicly and is viewed as a risk factor for an extensive variety of consequent problems. 2014 demonstrated that over 137,585 child abuse cases involving 99,210 Australian children were investigated (Australian Institute of Family Studies 2015). Abuse is categorised into neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and emotional abuse. Contrary to the implied supposition that emotional abuse is less injurious in comparison to sexual and physical abuse, emotional abuse ranked as the most commonly substantiated harm type in Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australia Capital Territory (AIFS 2015). Childhood abuse occurs throughout a period where complex and ordered changes occur within a child’s physiological, psychological and sociological being. The following report will accentuate how the state of flux instigated by childhood abuse leaves children susceptible harmful consequences that will pervert or prevent a normal developmental procedure. Through psychological and physiological wellbeing, adult delinquency and the effects on different genders readers will be able to identify the harmful consequences childhood abuse places on victims and survivors.

Research has shown that the majority of children who come into contact with the Child Welfare System are minorities and from families whose incomes are below the poverty line. Many families are in need of assistance in meeting with basic human needs such as housing, food, and clothing. In some instances, substance abuse, domestic violence, low literacy and limited English proficiency, hinders families from accessing economic assistance and other supports on their own. The higher rate of child maltreatment in minorities in the Child Welfare System is an area that needs to be examined. Particularly focusing on those that identify as African Americans. According to the US census, in 2013 African Americans accounted for only 14 percent of New

Child abuse is a serious social problem in the world. Child abuse is defined as physical, emotional, and sexual maltreatment by their parents, caregiver, and other people. The goal of this survey is to gather information about how people are aware of the child abuse in their community and society.

The Effects on Maltreated Children In the US alone nearly “3 million children experience some form of maltreatment” (Spinazzola, Hidgdon, Ford, Briggs, Liang, Layne, Pynoos, Stolbach, Kisiel, 2014 p. S19). The maltreatment of children is an issue that is happening around the world. Most people think about physical abuse being the most common form of maltreatment; however, emotional abuse accounts for “36%” ( Spinazzola et al 2014 p. S19) , and emotional neglect accounts for “52%”(Spinazzola et al 2014 p. S19) of identified child maltreatment cases. Most studies look at how abuse and neglect impacts children in many emotional and behavioral ways; meanwhile, nothing is changing when it comes to their recovery. Most maltreated children will

Every year, within Australia, the number of children who are removed from the care of their parents and placed into government regulated care continues to grow significantly. For these children, maltreatment (or the risk of maltreatment), in the form of abuse or neglect within the family home result in the need for them to be relocated to alternative care arrangements, more commonly referred to as out-of-home care (OOHC). The research which investigates the effects of maltreatment on children, conclusively shows that experiencing trauma and/or neglect during childhood can result in considerable physiological and psychological effects on development across multiple key domains, such as cognitive, social-emotional, academic, and language

Child Abuse More than 20,000 American children has thought to have been killed by their own family members over the past ten years. One of the worst records among industrialized nations that is losing on average almost five children everyday due to child abuse is the United States. The most recent report 2015 Child Maltreatment Report from The Children’s Bureau was published in January 2017. This document has stated that the number of child abuse cases has increased to 4 million from 3.6 million. 7.2 million children were involved in child abuse reports. The different kinds of child abuse are; neglect, physical, and verbal abuse.

Consequences of Child Maltreatment The maltreatment of children within the United States is an unfortunate but evident issue that presents some very detrimental consequences for the victims. Victims of child maltreatment typically suffer from both short-term and long-term consequences, resulting from the negligence of their parents. Across the nation techniques and measures have been taken in order to prevent the advancement of child abuse within high-risk homes, although despite these efforts sometimes it is too late for the child and the damage is too extensive for them to recover completely.

She stands, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. She’s drowning so far under, the ocean drips from her eyes. She’s screaming, but staying as silent as the shadows in hopes to avoid brutal words. Analyzing her options, she walks away from the edge: she

The US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes four types of childhood maltreatment. Any number of effects can result from these unfortunate realities for many children. These effects have potential to increase the likelihood of a substance abuse rather quickly and, sadly, may stick with them for the remainder of their lives. Early experiences of maltreatment increase the likelihood of psychological and emotional distress. In order to escape this pain, individuals may seek help from substances to escape the pain caused from the maltreatment. This being said, experiencing trauma as a child may develop into substance abuse. Additionally, being female has the potential to strengthen chance of substance abuse for individuals

There are certain demographics that are more prone to child abuse. Lower income families and young single mothers are the most likely to have child abuse in the home. This is due to the levels of stress in these types of families. When a person gets too stressed, and is not given the proper tools and resources to let that stress out, naturally it goes to a person that is close to them. Most of the time it is the children, all it takes is for the child to do something small, it can be something natural such as crying for no apparent reason as children often do, to take the abuser from simply over stressed to their breaking point.