Megan Alley

April 27, 2014

Research Report

Imagine being a six year old child, in a dark cold room, not knowing if your father will
barge into the house stumbling around, screaming and yelling tonight. Scared of whether he has
that nasty stench on his breath, like he always does. Suddenly he slams open your door, you
watch it bounce off the wall as he is screaming and yelling at you, you panic and cry trying to
figure out what you did to make him so mad, he grabs you, raises his arm, and then, it all goes
black.
5 children die from child abuse and neglect every day. Every 10 seconds a report of abuse
is made. Child Maltreatment is becoming worse as the years go by. 14% of men and 36% of
woman in prison where abused as children. Child abuse has a huge impact on children and their
futures. 25% of abused children are more likely to experience teen pregnancy. 59% are more
likely to be arrested as juveniles, 30% are more likely to commit a violent crime and 25% are
more likely to experience drug use and delinquency.
There are several types of child maltreatment. First there is neglect. Which 78.3% of
children that are maltreated are neglected. Neglect is where a child is not given the care they
need, such as medical, dental or behavioral care, food, clothing, affection, shelter hygiene and
sanitation. Children need affection food and clothing as adults do. Other neglect is more heinous,

for example, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation. Neglect is the most common out of all child
maltreatment.
The next most common form of child maltreatment is Physical abuse. 18% of mistreated
children are physically abused. Physical abuse is defined as any non-accidental physical injury
to a child including striking, kicking, burning, or biting the child and when harm, threaten to
harm, or failure to protect a child from harm is happening to a child. More heinous abuse is
serious bodily injury. Some people mix spanking the child and physical abuse. Spanking is not
considered child abuse in DHSs eyes, as long as it does not leave bruises or long lasting marks.
Sexual abuse and sexual exploitation affects 9.3% of maltreated children. These cases are
very disturbing. Children that are sexually abused are more likely to sexually abuse another or
have relationship issues, such as cheating, sexual issues and inability to show affection and some
end in prostitution.
8.5% of children that are maltreated are physiological abuse. 2.3% are medically
mistreated such as nonmedical attention. And 10.8% are maltreated in other unknown way. Some
children are mistreated in not just one way but some in many. Some children are abandoned as
well. All the statistics gathered said that some children where from multiple cases of
maltreatment
Children are our future, if statistics keep rising the future will become more insane.
Children are not given to us as objects. They are blessing and a responsibility, as adults we are
responsible to show children compassion and guidance. Children urn for guidance and structure.
Without them they will not know how to function in life. We must teach children the
fundamentals of life without it these statistics will keep rising and more crime will happen.

References:
Online;
http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics/
https://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/define.cfm
http://childhelp.3cdn.net/dac590d0e3e2c84b69_0em6b6jd9.pdf
https://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/define.pdf#Page=2&vie
w=Fit
http://childhelp.3cdn.net/dac590d0e3e2c84b69_0em6b6jd9.pdf