Five time Nobel Peace Prize nominees Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson founded ChildHelp to raise awareness and funds to end child abuse. From their website;

National Child Abuse Statistics;

Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Over 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States; however, those reports can include multiple children. In 2007, approximately 5.8 million children were involved in an estimated 3.2 million child abuse reports and allegations.

http://www.childhelp.org/resources/learning-center/statistics
Programs Prevention/Intervention

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD

Staffed 24 hours daily by professional crisis counselors, the Hotline is accessible throughout the U.S., its territories, and Canada.

Through interpreters, communication is possible in 140 languages. The confidential and anonymous Hotline offers crisis intervention, information, literature, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources.

Child abuse prevention and education program within elementary schools which reaches over 450,000 children annually.

Children’s Advocacy Centers
A coalition of law enforcement, prosecution, social service agencies, medical professionals, and crisis counselors working together to utilize a highly effective, one-stop approach to the investigation of child abuse. The concept of the Children’s Advocacy Center is also available within a mobile unit to provide services for abused children in remote areas.

What can I do?
By supporting Childhelp, you are playing a direct role in the treatment and prevention of child abuse. Your donations and purchases from the Childhelp store and the Gift of Hope gift catalog help a dedicated and passionate staff carry out Childhelp’s mission of meeting the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children.

Residential treatment facilities (Villages)
Provide specialized, comprehensive care for severely abused children. In addition to psychotherapy, counseling, medical care, and on-site schools, the programs also include art, animal-assisted, music and recreational therapy to help heal the heart, soul, and body of each child in our care. Learn more

Therapeutic Group Homes
Provide a nurturing refuge for abused and neglected children until they can be placed in foster care, with adoptive parents or returned to their families, as determined by the courts. Learn more

Therapeutic Foster Care
Recruitment, training and certification for foster families with access to 24 hour professional counseling and support. Learn more

National Child Abuse Statistics;

Statistics
-Almost five children die everyday as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4.

-It is estimated that between 60-85% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates.

-A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds.

-Ninety percent of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way; 68% are abused by family members.

-Child abuse occurs at every socio-economic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education.

-Thirty-one percent of women in prison in the United States were abused as children.

-Over 60% of people in drug rehabilitation centers report being abused or neglected as a child.

-About 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse.

-About 80% of 21 year old that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.

-The estimated annual cost resulting from child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2007 is $104 billion.
What can be done?

Treatment, Prevention and Research are key. Childhelp, one of the largest and oldest national, non-profit organizations dedicated to treatment and prevention of child abuse, provides a broad continuum of programs that directly serve abused children and their families. Childhelp also leads public awareness campaigns to educate the public and rally communities behind the child abuse.

What can I do?
By supporting Childhelp, you are playing a direct role in the treatment and prevention of child abuse. Your donations, purchases from the Childhelp store and the Gift of Hope gift catalogue, and time spent volunteering help a dedicated and passionate staff carry out Childhelp’s mission of meeting the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children.

Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect in USA

-Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy

-Children who experience child abuse & neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult, and 30% more likely to commit violent crime.

-Children who have been sexually abused are 2.5 times more likely develop alcohol abuse

-Children who have been sexually abused are 3.8 times more likely develop drug addiction

-Nearly 2/3’s of the people in treatment for drug abuse reported being abused as children

Consequences of Child Abuse in the USA

-Eighty percent of young adults who had been abused met the diagnostic criteria for at least 1 psychiatric disorder at the age of 21 (including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, & post-traumatic stress disorder)

-Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy

-Abused teens are 3 times less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs

The Link Between Abuse As a Child & Future Criminal Behavior

-Fourteen percent of all men in prison in the USA were abused as children

-Thirty-six percent of all women in prison were abused as children

-Children who experience child abuse & neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult, and 30% more likely to commit violent crime.

The Link Between Child Abuse & Substance Abuse

-Children who have been sexually abused are 2.5 times more likely develop alcohol abuse

-Children who have been sexually abused are 3.8 times more likely develop drug addictions

-Nearly 2/3’s of the people in treatment for drug abuse reported being abused as children

Sources:
-Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and The Federal Administration for Children and Families. The CDC oublication: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr

-Prevent Child Abuse America: Current Trends in Child Abuse Reporting & Fatalities: The 2000 Fifty State Survery

-National Center on Child Abuse Prevention Research: Prevent Child Abuse America; Current Trends in Child Abuse Reporting and Fatalities: The Results of the 1997 Annual Fifty State Survey

-Lung, C. & Daro D. (1996) Current Trends in Child Abuse Reporting and Fatalities: The Results of the 1995 Annual Fifty State Survey. Chicago: National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse. http://www.childabuse.com/fs9.htm

-US Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children & Families. Child Maltreatment 2003: Summary of Key Findings

-National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse & Neglect Information. Long-term Consequences of Child Abuse & Neglect 2005

-US Department of Justice

-Child Abuse & Neglect Study by Arthur Becker-Weidman PhD

-National Institute on Drug Abuse 2000 Report

-DePanfilis, D. (2006). Child neglect: A guide for prevention, assessment and intervention. Dept.HHS, et al
-Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect. Child Welfare Information Gateway.Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2006. Retrieved August 22, 2007 from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/
long_term_consequences.cfm

-Wang, Chung-Tung Ph.D. & Holton, John Ph.D. (2007). Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect In the United States. Prevent Child Abuse America funded byThe Pew Charitable Trusts

-U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration on Children Youth & Families. Child Maltreatment 2007 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2009). Retrieved April 3 2009 from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb

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