Children and Teens Program

HOW COMMON IT THIS?
NATIONAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS

National Child Abuse Statistics:

In 1996, 969,018 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported nationwide from a total of 47 states. Nearly 80% of these cases involved abuse and neglect by parents. An additional 11% involved other relatives. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1998. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.)

Among children who died to abuse or neglect, very young children were most likely to be killed, with children aged 3 and under accounting for three-fourths of all deaths. (Ibid.)

Almost 50% of children who die from maltreatment in the United States are already known to child protection agencies. (National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, 1996.)

Breakdown by type of maltreatment (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1998. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.):

• neglect - 52%
• physical abuse - 24%
• sexual abuse - 12%
• emotional abuse - 6%
• medical neglect - 3%
• other forms - 16%

More than half of the children were under 8 years old, while 28% were younger than 4 years old. Younger children were more likely than older children to be neglected, while older children were more likely than younger children to be physically, sexually or emotionally abused. (Ibid.)

Fifty-two percent of child abuse and neglect victims were girls and 48 percent boys. (Ibid.)

In 1994, children under the age of 18 accounted for 11% of all murder victims in the United States. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1996. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice.)

Two-thirds of all prisoners convicted of rape or sexual assault committed the crime against a child. (Ibid.)

Research conducted by the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect in 1993 found that of all children who are abused, 17.2 % had disabilities. Of all children who were sexually abused, 15.2% had disabilities.

Hands of Hope Resource Center local child abuse statistics:

During a one-year period from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009, Hands of Hope Resource Center worked with 359 new abused children within Morrison and Todd Counties. These cases also involved working with 260 new secondary victims.