Description
There are many forms of child maltreatment, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, exploitation, or any other act that could put a child at risk.
Risk can include behaviors that place a child in imminent danger of harm when a caregiver fails to exercise the minimum degree of care in providing any of the following when financially able to do so: food, clothing, shelter, education or medical care.
A person is abusive to a child if they commit any of these actions against a child in their care and/or they allow someone else to do these things to a child.
Physical abuse of a child is when a parent or caregiver causes any non-accidental physical injury to a child.
Sexual abuse occurs when an adult uses a child for sexual purposes or involves a child in sexual acts.
Emotional abuse occurs when a parent or caregiver harms a child’s mental and social development, or causes severe emotional harm. While a single incident may be abuse, most often emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that causes harm over time.
Child neglect occurs when a parent or caregiver does not give the care, supervision, affection and support needed for a child’s health, safety and well-being.
Child neglect includes:
- Physical neglect and inadequate supervision
- Emotional neglect
- Medical neglect
- Educational neglect
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child (CSEC) is the sexual exploitation of a juvenile under 18 years old for financial or economic gain.
Statistics and Facts
National Child Abuse Statistics
- More than 7 million U.S. children come to the attention of Child Protective Services (CPS) each year.
- Each year approximately 3.4 million children receive services from child protective agencies. (Children’s Bureau, 2014)
- Neglect and physical abuse are the most common forms of abuse and maltreatment reported to child protective services agencies. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- 75% of the child victims who came to the attention of CPS are victims of neglect. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- 17% are victims of physical abuse. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- 8% are victims of sexual abuse. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- Young children are the most vulnerable to maltreatment. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- 28% of victims of child abuse are under the age of 3. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
Fatalities from Child Abuse
- 1,670 children die due to abuse or neglect each year. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- 75% of children who die due to child abuse or neglect are younger than 3 years old. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- Boys have a higher child fatality rate than girls. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- Maltreatment-related fatalities occur at a rate of 2.42 per 100,000 boys. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- Maltreatment-related fatalities occur at a rate of 2.09 fatalities per 100,000 girls. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- 42% of child fatalities occur among White children. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- 31% occur among African-American children. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- 15% occur among Hispanic children. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
- 78% of child fatalities in the United States involve at least one parent as the perpetrator. (Children’s Bureau, 2015)
Child Abuse in New York City
- There are more than 50,000 reports of abuse and neglect in New York City each year. (NYC Administration for Children’s Services, 2016)
- Neglect is the most common type of allegation (59%). (NYC Administration for Children’s Services, Flash Report May 2017)
- Followed by physical abuse (12%). (NYC Administration for Children’s Services, Flash Report May 2017)
- And educational neglect (9%). (NYC Administration for Children’s Services, Flash Report May 2017)
