What is child abuse?
Child abuse is when a parent or caregiver, whether through action or failing to act, causes injury, death, emotional harm or risk of serious harm to a child. There are many forms of child maltreatment, including emotional, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and exploitation.
Child abuse includes four major categories
Emotional abuse
Neglect
Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
"Often children and teens are abused by the people who are closest to them like family, friends, sitters, neighbors and sometimes even teachers and coaches. These are the very people that children should feel the safest with. From: Help for kids
...... More from Childhelp..org
Scope of the Child Abuse Issue
Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. It’s a widespread war against our children that we have the power to stop, and understanding the issue is the first step. Just how bad is the issue of child abuse in the United States?
Every year more than 3.6 million referrals are made to child protection agencies involving more than 6.6 million children (a referral can include multiple children).
The United States has one of the worst records among industrialized nations – losing on average between four and seven children every day to child abuse and neglect.
A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds.
Yearly, referrals to state child protective services involve 6.6 million children, and around 3.2 million of those children are subject to an investigated report.
In 2014 alone, state agencies found over 702,000 victims of child maltreatment, but that only tells part of the story. This would pack 10 modern football stadiums.
...... Facts and Health impacts
Resources
Help For Kids
Get Help
If you see any signs of abuse in someone you know, or if you yourself are involved in an abusive relationship, get help right away. Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is a 24-hour hotline with resources to aid in every child abuse situation. All calls are confidential.
Call 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) for help.
Spanking harms children - Tedx talk
13 minutes - 268000+ views
Research on spanking has shown that it is is consistently linked to increased behavioral problems, increased aggression and defiance, lower moral internalization, increased risk of mental illness in adolescence, drug and alcohol abuse, greater likelihood of domestic violence into adulthood. Spanking little children profound effect on the rapid development of the brain in the first few years of life. Visit StopSpanking.org/research/ to see the research on the harms of spanking and other corporal punishments.
Prevention and treatment of 'Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE's)' - Tedx talk
16 Minutes - 78000+ views
Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain. This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are at triple the risk for heart disease and lung cancer. Visit the speaker's website Center for Youth Wellness to see her pioneering work in this area.
Child Maltreatment Report - January 15, 2020 - Administration for Children & Families - US HHS
Child abuse is preventable - Do Something - Tedx talk
8 minutes - 2200+ views
Excerpts from the talk:
In the US almost five kids die from child abuse and neglect every day. 10 in 100 children will suffer some form of sexual abuse by the time they turn 18. But less than 1 of those 10 kids will disclose sexual abuse as a child because 90% of kids are sexually abused by someone that they know love and trust and every day. If you have a daughter, she is just as likely to be sexually abused as a child, as she is to get breast cancer. But the difference breast cancer and child abuse is that child abuse is hundred percent preventable. Mary E. Whittier is the Founding Executive for Bivona Child Advocacy Center, a non-profit organization.
More resources
Youtube Videos
Breaking the Cycle of Child Abuse By Lucas Mack TEDx - 15 minutes
The Secret That Almost Killed Me By Kirsten Johnson TEDx - 15 minutes
Being a Survivor of Male Child Sexual Abuse by Harish Iyer Tedx
