What you should know about child abuse

[freethefly 6]

The Extent of Child Abuse in America

By Larry Axmaker, EdD, PhD

More than 2.5 million cases of child abuse and neglect are reported in the U.S. each year. The true number is probably much larger as all types of child abuse and neglect tend to be underreported.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that:

One in four girls and one in eight boys will be sexually abused before they reach the age of 18.


One in 20 children is physically abused each year.


Half of all child abuse falls into the category of neglect.

What is Abuse?
Physical abuse - inflicting physical injury by punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning, shaking, or otherwise physically harming a child

Child neglect - failure to provide a child's basic needs physically, emotionally, educationally, and medically

Sexual abuse - includes fondling children's genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism, commercial exploitation through prostitution, or producing pornographic materials

Emotional abuse - acts or lack of attention by parents or other caregivers that results in behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders

Recognizing Abuse and Neglect
It can be difficult to recognize abuse and even more difficult to determine what to do about it. Children are often reluctant to tell anybody if they are being abused because they think they will be blamed or not believed. Parents tend to overlook symptoms because it is uncomfortable to talk about.

The longer a child is abused or neglected, the deeper the trauma, and the less likely there will be a full emotional recovery.

Many behaviors can indicate possible abuse or neglect. In many cases the behaviors could be caused by other situations. This list doesn't guarantee that the cause is abuse, but be alert to unexplainable changes such as:

Injuries, bruises, factures, or head or abdominal injuries that cannot be explained


Fearful behavior such as nightmares, depression, or attempts to run away


Abdominal pain, bedwetting, urinary tract infections, genital pain or bleeding, or sexually transmitted diseases


Extreme sexual behaviors (acting out) that are inappropriate for the child's age


Sudden drop in self-confidence


Self destructive or suicidal behaviors


Drug and alcohol abuse


Headaches or stomachaches with no medical cause


Failure to gain weight (usually in infants)


Desperately affectionate behavior or need for approval


Overeating and stealing food

When to Call for Help
If you suspect your child or another child has been abused or seriously neglected you should call your pediatrician or a child protective agency. Provide the information you have and they will follow-up.

Doctors are legally required to report cases of abuse. Child protection agencies can provide shelter and care for abused children. Mental health professionals are often involved to help children cope with and overcome past emotional trauma caused by abuse or neglect. Some communities have Child Abuse Hotlines - you can often call anonymously.

Sources:

1. Child Abuse and Neglect. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2000. Available online at: http://www.medem.com/ MedLB/article. Accessed January 20, 2006.

2. JAMA Patient Page: Protecting Our Children From Child Abuse. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1999. Available online at: http://www.medem.com/ medlb/article_detaillb.cfm. Accessed January 20, 2006.

http://www.building-block.org/

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[airtwardo 7]

I know it's a serious matter, but Dr. Axmaker fails to note the number of reported instances that are determined to be baseless in nature.

I'd bet it's a significant number.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[skydyvr 0]

Quote

I know it's a serious matter, but Dr. Axmaker fails to note the number of reported instances that are determined to be baseless in nature.

I'd bet it's a significant number.

Good point, but I'll bet the baseless reports are countered 3x by the number of real abuses that go unreported.

. . =(_8^(1)

[miked10270 0]

Quote

I know it's a serious matter, but Dr. Axmaker fails to note the number of reported instances that are determined to be baseless in nature.

I'd bet it's a significant number.

I don't think the reports found to be "baseless" are included in the stats quoted.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[airtwardo 7]

Quote

Quote

I know it's a serious matter, but Dr. Axmaker fails to note the number of reported instances that are determined to be baseless in nature.

I'd bet it's a significant number.

Good point, but I'll bet the baseless reports are countered 3x by the number of real abuses that go unreported.

***

That I would argue.

In the US there are in round numbers 74 million children under the age of 18.

Taking the good Doctors estimate that 'at least' that number goes unreported, there are around 5 million abused kids in this country.

That's roughly 1 in 14 children that are being abused.

Since the average classroom has 30 kids in it...do you honestly believe that 2 kids in every classroom in the nation are being abused?

Now here is something to think about....
In my community of about 30,000 people, 96 cases of child abuse was reported last year.
Of those 96 cases, 54 times the child was removed from the home. Of those 54 times, 32 were kept in CPS custody for longer than 30 days.

The eye opener is....of the entire 96 case, only 2 were to be found 'of real merit'.
In one case a girl 13 was being sexually molested by a 15 year old schoolmate.
The other case was of a child that was being subjected to harsh corporal punishment for relatively minor infractions at home.

Again....I understand that child abuse is a VERY serious matter, but I think some overhaul in the system is required.
It's all to common for kids to 'claim' child abuse whenever there is a problem at home.
The agencies involved have to for obvious reasons take every complaint as serious, and to error on the side of safety for the child is natural.

BUT...when 'Wolf' is cried by some kid not happy about losing his phone or X-Box privileges, as was a case in my kid's school.
The parents are automatically considered guilty until proven innocent. At a tremendous cost both financially and emotionally...their lives are thrown into disruption and turmoil.

1/2 of the 'signs' to look for that are listed above, are also definite indicators of common psychosis such as Bi Polar Disorder.

From the outside, such a child might be easily considered as falling into the 'abused' category, when in fact as any parent with a Bi Polar child knows...that's the farthest thing from the truth.

The way the system is currently set up...the child is guaranteed to suffer considerably more, being thrown into the maze of hoops that everyone has to jump through because some ill informed 'do good-er'
decided to read an article like the one here....and become an instant expert.

I truly would caution anyone to be damn sure of any allegations about child abuse they may be thinking of making. Be at least reasonably clear on all the facts before you get a ball rolling at will inevitably do harm to all those concerned if you are wrong.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[airtwardo 7]

I don't think the reports found to be "baseless" are included in the stats quoted.

Mike.


***

Show me where is says that if you would, I may have missed it.
In the State of Texas as far as CPS is concerned...for funding reasons.....the number of reports, means the number of reports.

If the Doctor had stated the 'number of INSTANCES'
that would be a different matter.

He said the number of REPORTED instances....Big Difference!










~From another article with a bit different slant~

Numerous public servants (teachers, welfare workers, social workers, lawyers, judges, doctors, etc.) are now mandated under CAPTA to report child abuse, with the expected result that the number of unsubstantiated reports of child abuse increased 8 fold since 1976, and the number of unsutstantiated reporst of child sexual abuse increased 28 fold. A single false allegation of child abuse, whether it be "substantiated" or "unsubstantiated" is devastating to families.

Carol Hopkins, who has worked with thousands of falsely accused and convicted parents, notes "At least 90% of these false reports are filed by women. I just don't understand what it is about men that they allow this to continue". There were 3,219,000 child abuse reports filed last year, contrasted with 1,111 children killed and 12,246 hospitalized as a result of abuse.

Even if we liberally estimated that the number of seriously abused children exceeded the number killed and hospitalized by 3 times, we would arrive at a real total number of seriously abused children of only 53,428. The Office of Technology Assessment notes:

The American Humane Society estimated that 23,648 children experienced serious physical injury due to maltreatment in 2003.

In other words, of 3,219,000 reports of child abuse, up to 3,165,572 are most likely false, and more than 2,849,014 of these potentially false reports were filed by mothers who were almost never prosecuted.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[freethefly 6]

I truly would caution anyone to be damn sure of any allegations about child abuse they may be thinking of making. Be at least reasonably clear on all the facts before you get a ball rolling at will inevitably do harm to all those concerned if you are wrong.

You are completely right about jumping the gun. When my niece was around 7 or 8 years old she ran into her fathers cigarette and got a small burn. The following week a school teacher noticed the burn. She asked Amber what happened. Amber told her that her fathers cigarette burned her and that set the ball rolling. It took several months of a case worker interviewing everyone who was there. It was determined (and rightfully so) to had been just an accident. But it was also understood that such abuse does occure and that they will always err on the side of saftey for the child first.
Growing up, I had a very good childhood. Time to time, when I did something I should had not, I got my ass beat with the belt. Nothing major but, enough to raise a few welts. Lesson learned and all was good. I did, however, have friends who would get nearly daily beatings. One friend's father thought nothing of a fist upside his sons head, no matter who was there to see. Nothing was ever said. This was during the sixties and seventies. I am sure that we all had friends who had to endure a cruel parent. You may have had to endure one yourself. We all know that it happens. How do you know if a bruise on a child is just from a fall or from a beating? If it is from a beating, to what extent was the beating? How often is the child beat? Should anyone beat a child for a wrong? My answer to the last question is NO. But, is the spanking that a child recieve abuse or just a reminder to the child that certian behavior will not be tolerated? I have and I am sure that everyone reading this has seen a child being beat into submission at a store by a frustrated parent. Is it really neccesary for a parent to do this soley because a child was being a pest or would not simmer down? I think that all to often we see on the news or read an article of someone being arrested for shaking a child to death or breaking a childs limb. Just last week a father was arrested here in SW Missouri for breaking his infants son's leg after the baby peed on him. Unbelievable. Far to often we hear of children being raised in filthy conditions. Methhead parent/parents. Alcoholic parent/parents. Just plain cruel parent/parents. Who is responsible for reporting these and any other form of abuse? Most people want children to grow up safe. Most people would be appaled to hear of a child that got a severe beating for spilling milk. There is no fine line between "correcting" a child and "beating a child. No child should ever be hit by an adult. Period. But then it comes down to whether a spanking was abuse or just that, a spanking. It is hard to say. A hard call to make. Err on the side of saftey? or wait to see what happens? How do you know?
Learn more @
http://www.childabuse.org/
http://www.building-block.org/

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[skydyvr 0]

Nice post.

. . =(_8^(1)

[Lindsey 0]

Quote

Quote

I know it's a serious matter, but Dr. Axmaker fails to note the number of reported instances that are determined to be baseless in nature.

I'd bet it's a significant number.

Good point, but I'll bet the baseless reports are countered 3x by the number of real abuses that go unreported.

AND a lot of those that are determined to be baseless in nature are very real, and children are left in abusive situations after multiple investigations by child protective services.

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[airtwardo 7]

You are completely right about jumping the gun.


***

I've been doing quite a bit of research on the subject, and you wouldn't believe the horror stories I've come across and what happens to people thrown into the CPS machine that don't belong there.

In my community, a well respected and liked 7th grade teacher lost her job, home and was a pariah around here for almost a year because her son claimed sexual abuse...'to see what would happen' when he was mad at his mother.

I could list many other cases of similar outrageous 'over reaction' and the consequences...

But I won't and I edited MY rant out for the time being.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[airtwardo 7]

AND a lot of those that are determined to be baseless in nature are very real, and children are left in abusive situations after multiple investigations by child protective services.

***

The more I study the overall program and how it works, and go through published cases like the one I'm in...I seriously question your statement.

It's posted as a statement of fact not an opinion, if you have actual proof of that please cite your source.

I NEED to read more and hopefully try to understand that the system is trying to do it's best.

Currently I don't see it that way.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Michele 1]

'Twardo, how sorry I am that you find yourself in this situation...and how sorry I am for her, too, that she has had such a rough hand dealt to her.

I have no advice for you, but wanted to let you know that I'm here if you need to talk, and will help however I can. Hang in there; she's worth it, you're worth it, and somehow, this will come right.

hugs to you.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[freethefly 6]

I am always appaled when the system is abused to discredit an innocent person. The other night Dateline ran a piece (I think it was a re-run) about a Bakersfield, Ca. man who spent 20 years in prison due to a vengeful ex-wife and overzealous caseworker and a prosecutor. If not for certian people coming forward (the children, now adults and http://www.innocenceproject.org/ ) this man would still be in prison for a crime never commited. Part of why the system fails is due to those who abuse it for their own gain and not the childs best interest. Such false claims destroys more than the life of the accused, it also takes away from the child and it takes away resources that could be used to protect those who truely need protecting. I hope that you are using every single resource available to you and that in the end the truth will be known.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[livendive 8]

Quote

That's roughly 1 in 14 children that are being abused.

Since the average classroom has 30 kids in it...do you honestly believe that 2 kids in every classroom in the nation are being abused?

Are being? Or have been or will be?

Actually, my answer is the same either way. I think more than 2 out of 30 kids are exposed to ongoing (at least occasional) physical, sexual, or mental abuse, and more than that if we include "simple" neglect.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[Lindsey 0]

Quote

AND a lot of those that are determined to be baseless in nature are very real, and children are left in abusive situations after multiple investigations by child protective services.

***

The more I study the overall program and how it works, and go through published cases like the one I'm in...I seriously question your statement.

It's posted as a statement of fact not an opinion, if you have actual proof of that please cite your source.

I NEED to read more and hopefully try to understand that the system is trying to do it's best.

Currently I don't see it that way.

I'm certain that there are more than enough baseless reports, but in my years as a social worker--in the Emergency Room at AR Children's Hospital--and now as a physician, I see waaaay too many children who are horribly abused who wouldn't have been if Child Protective Services had not dismissed the previous reports that had been made.

I'm sure, though, that because of the work I do and have done I'm probably more likely to see the children who aren't adequately protected by the State after repeated reports are made. But I have seen them many, many times. I don't know if there's a source that documents all the times that Child Protective Services fails to protect children, but they're there. Of the children I've seen in the ER due to overt abuse, I'd estimate that 1/3 to 1/2 have had previous reports made. Those kids are especially afraid to talk about it, because when they aren't protected (again), they're gonna be in bigger trouble when mom or dad or whomever the abuser is learns that they told....

I've seen some pretty awful cases. There's a little boy I took care of whose mom and step-father "punished" him by making him sit in a bath of various chemicals...bleach, pine sol, drano and the like....a few times a day for I don't know how long. His grandmother finally suspected that they were at it again when they wouldn't let her see him. She went in the house and took him. When she found him, he had no skin on his butt or back of his legs, and they had salt in his underwear. They had been reported for child abuse in the past, but the reports were deemed "baseless."

In November I took care of a little 3 y/o girl in the ER who was literally fucked to death. Her physical exam was horrid. Her previous reports were also "baseless."

There are many, many more. Those are two of the worst, though, and not the norm. I'm sure what I see is skewed, but the failures sure do make my stomach turn.

My child's school reported his father once when Jay told his teacher that his dad had picked him up by his hair. It had happened. I was there and stopped the whole thing. But because there was no physical evidence--apparent marks or bruising--the report was deemed "baseless." I prevented anything else from happening by never letting his father be alone with him. But since things got bad enough for me to finally leave my ex-husband, he gets all kinds of visitation with Jay alone. I just hope that Jay's old enough to tell me if things ever go badly....

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[airtwardo 7]

Again...I'm not saying child abuse doesn't exist or that it's not a very serious matter.

I'm just cautioning the use of CPS as a catch all agency for everyone that 'thinks' they see abuse- neglect and 'jump the gun' but filing a complaint the may be without merit.

In speaking with a CPS supervisor recently, I was told that 'ballpark' figures for baseless complains are in the 90% range.

That's 90% of the limited resources that should be going to help REAL victims, being wasted because for some reason the program has become a 'police' agency that people are using as a punishment against either parents or kids.


Corporal punishment to children isn't illegal here in Texas. (I personally don't use it) But if little Johnny starts the garage on fire and mommy swats his ass as punishment and a neighbor calls the police...the balls starts rolling. With the time and agencies involved, the cost is between 3000 and 15,000 dollars to get a finding. Multiply that by 100 a week for 'baseless complaints' and tell me the system couldn't use some kind of overhaul.

A parent can call CPS if they feel that their child is incorrigible and a danger to themselves, the parents or society. ...bang, the kid is in the system for 2-4 weeks at taxpayer expense.
As happened in my town, a 16 year old girl files a complaint on her parents for 'mental abuse' because they didn't buy her a car for her 16th birthday!
A high school freshman was reported as being abused, to the police and CPS, by his teacher for coming to school with a split lip and numerous bruises. After a ten day investigation it was attributed to football practice, which is what the freshman had said all along.

These are just a few of the 'cases' I've come across concerning local 'abuse'...it's abuse alright, abuse of the system. A system that is being handcuffed by overwork and improper utilization.

I just think we should use some common sense before calling in 'big brother' because little Bobby wet the bed when he slept over and we know it's caused by child abuse because we read it in an article like the one posted here.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[livendive 8]

Quote

Since the average classroom has 30 kids in it...do you honestly believe that 2 kids in every classroom in the nation are being abused?

Per this poll, it would appear that if the 30 student class were comprised of people who post in Speaker's Corner, AT LEAST 4.8 of them have been, are being, or will be sexually abused, AT LEAST 6.6 of them have been, are being, or will be physically abused, and AT LEAST 7.8 of them have been, are being, or will be emotionally abused.

In any case, it's a hell of a lot more than 2 out of 30.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)