Child Abuse Statistics

D. Corwin (1990) cites that in London manyabuse has taken place for centuries.In the U.S. in
believed that sexual 'congress' with a child would2000 over 3 million child abuse and neglect reports
cure venereal disease. Of capital rape prosecutionswere filed and one million were confirmed. There
between 1730 and 1729, 25% of the casesare 3,000 children abused each day and four of
involved victims younger than 10 years old.62%them will die. Forty % of these children were
of females are sexually abused by age 18.under the age of six. The age group with the
Finkelhor, David and J. Dziuba-Leatherman.highest abuse rate is 0-3 years. Nationally the
"Victimization of Children." American Psychologisthighest form of abuse is neglect followed by
Vol. 49:3 (1992): 173-183.physical abuse. In March of 2001 when President
1896 in The Aetiology of Hysteria, FreudBush declared April National Child Abuse Prevention
discusses his "Seduction Theory" acknowledgingMonth he stated the cost of child abuse and
the sexual abuse and incest of children.31% ofneglect in the U.S. was $258 million dollars a day.
males are sexually abused by age 18. Ibid.MoreThis includes the price of intervention, the
than 60 million adult survivors of incest and sexualtreatment of children who have been emotionally,
child abuse live in America. *Note these are onlyphysically or sexually abused as well as the
reported cases. It is believed as great as 50% ofindirect costs of the long term consequences both
sexual child abuse is unreported. Forward,for the child and our society. Prevent Child Abuse
199399% of sexual abuse survivors know theirAmerica.
perpetrators-80% are abused by familyIn 2000, there were 261,000 victims of rape,
members, 19% are abuse by other trusted adults.attempted rape or sexual assault. [2000 National
CCPA, 1992Of 50 male sexual abuse survivors,Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice
many were as young as 8 years old. FBI UniformStatistics.] Of these 261,000, 114,000 were
Crime Report, 1991.96% of female rape survivorsvictims of sexual assault, 55,000 were victims of
were younger than 12 years old and knew theirattempted rape, and 92,000 were victims of
attackers. U.S. Department of Justice, 1992.Acompleted rape. [2000 NCVS.]An estimated
study of 10,000 female children under age 18906,000 children were victims of abuse and
raped in 1992, reports that 3,800 girls were underneglect in 2003 (cases substantiated by child
12 years old. U.S. Justice Department, studyprotective service agencies).1In 2003, 48.3
conducted in 11 states and the District ofpercent of child victims were male; 51.7 percent
Columbia, June 1994.Of teenage, unwed mothers,of victims were female. 83.9 percent of victims
60-67% were incest survivors. Los Angeleswere abused by a parent. 40.8% of child victims
Times survey, 199396% of teenage prostituteswere maltreated by their mothers acting alone;
were sexually molested in childhood. CCPA, 1992.another 18.8 percent were maltreated by their
Almost 80% had become prostitutes before agefathers acting alone; 16.9 percent were abused by
18. Ibid. *60% of prostitutes were 16 or under;both parents.1Types of maltreatment
many were younger than 13. Ibid.Over 80% ofincluded:1Neglect (including medical neglect) 61%
the mothers of incest survivors were alsoPhysical Abuse 19%
sexually abused.57% of sexual child abuse andSexual Abuse 10% (90,600 children)
incest perpetrators are survivors of sexual childPsychological Maltreatment 5%
abuse. Goldstein-Harte Study 1973: Carter, et al.AMedical Maltreatment 2%
sexual child abuse perpetrator (a.k.a. sex offender)Other* 17%1U.S. Department of Health and
abuses an average of 117 children. NationalHuman Services, Administration on Children, Youth
Institute of Mental Health, 1988.Extensiveand Families, Child Maltreatment 2003 (Washington,
evidence substantiates the fact that sexual childDC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2005).