The Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse of Dutchess County, NY

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The Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse of Dutchess County
249 Hooker Ave.
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(845) 454-0595

A United Way funded Agency

Child Abuse and Neglect, the Facts

FACT:

A child in New York is abused or neglected every 8 minutes

FACT:

In 2001, 903,000 children in the US were victims of child abuse, neglect and maltreatment: 57% suffered neglect, 2% suffered medical neglect, 19% were physically abused, 10% were sexually abused and 7% were psychologically mistreated.

FACT:

The child victimization rate rose from 12.2/per 1,000 children in 2000 to 12.4/per 1,000 in 2001. 28% of these victims were under age 3 years, 48% were male children and 52% were females. 50% of the children were Caucasian, 25% African-American, 15% Hispanic and 10% Other/Unknown.

FACT:

In 2001, New York State had 77,860 substantiated reports of child abuse, neglect and maltreatment, which is 16.6% of the entire population of children.

FACT:

The recurrence rate for a child victim to be re-victimized within 6 months is 14.1%

FACT:

80.9% of those adults perpetrating against children are the parents of the victim. One-third of all parents who were abused in childhood, typically abuse their own children. 81% of families with reported cases of child abuse, neglect and maltreatment were involved in alcohol & substance abuse.

FACT:

Child Abuse is a risk factor for violent behavior in adolescents and adult criminality. Child victims are 50% more likely to be arrested as juveniles, 40% more likely to be arrested for violent crimes in adulthood and 33% more likely to abuse drugs.

FACT:

The United States spends $258 million daily as a direct or indirect result of child abuse, neglect and maltreatment. These costs include foster care, police protection, medical attention, incarceration, and alcohol and drug abuse treatment. The costs of child abuse and neglect are borne not only by the abused children, but by society as well. These costs could be greatly reduced by taking steps to prevent the abuse and maltreatment of children.

The Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse works with children, youth, parents, the general public, mandated reporters such as teachers, medical professionals, and daycare providers, civic groups, schools and other agencies to prevent child abuse and neglect. Please call and find out how you can help us keep our children safe in Dutchess County. Financial contributions are always greatly appreciated.

IT SHOULDN'T HURT TO BE A CHILD

Sources: NYSOCFS(SCR1999); HHS(1998); Prevent Child Abuse New York(2001); Farber, E.D. and Joseph J.A. "The Maltreated Adolescent"Child Abuse and Neglect 9; Putnam F. "Why is it so difficult for the epidemic of child abuse to be taken seriously?" San Diego Conference on Responding to Child Maltreatment(1998); and A National Call to Action: Working to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect. Abel & Sokel(1986).