Child Abuse Statistics

D. Corwin (1990) cites that in London many believedcenturies.In the U.S. in 2000 over 3 million child abuse
that sexual 'congress' with a child would cure venerealand neglect reports were filed and one million were
disease. Of capital rape prosecutions between 1730confirmed. There are 3,000 children abused each day
and 1729, 25% of the cases involved victims youngerand four of them will die. Forty % of these children
than 10 years old.62% of females are sexuallywere under the age of six. The age group with the
abused by age 18. Finkelhor, David and J.highest abuse rate is 0-3 years. Nationally the highest
Dziuba-Leatherman. "Victimization of Children."form of abuse is neglect followed by physical abuse.
American Psychologist Vol. 49:3 (1992): 173-183.In March of 2001 when President Bush declared April
1896 in The Aetiology of Hysteria, Freud discussesNational Child Abuse Prevention Month he stated the
his "Seduction Theory" acknowledging the sexualcost of child abuse and neglect in the U.S. was $258
abuse and incest of children.31% of males aremillion dollars a day. This includes the price of
sexually abused by age 18. Ibid.More than 60 millionintervention, the treatment of children who have
adult survivors of incest and sexual child abuse live inbeen emotionally, physically or sexually abused as well
America. *Note these are only reported cases. It isas the indirect costs of the long term consequences
believed as great as 50% of sexual child abuse isboth for the child and our society. Prevent Child
unreported. Forward, 199399% of sexual abuseAbuse America.
survivors know their perpetrators-80% are abusedIn 2000, there were 261,000 victims of rape,
by family members, 19% are abuse by other trustedattempted rape or sexual assault. [2000 National
adults. 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 victims of
Crime Report, 1991.96% of female rape survivorssexual assault, 55,000 were victims of attempted
were younger than 12 years old and knew theirrape, and 92,000 were victims of completed rape.
attackers. U.S. Department of Justice, 1992.A study[2000 NCVS.]An estimated 906,000 children were
of 10,000 female children under age 18 raped in 1992,victims of abuse and neglect in 2003 (cases
reports that 3,800 girls were under 12 years old. U.S.substantiated by child protective service agencies).1In
Justice Department, study conducted in 11 states and2003, 48.3 percent of child victims were male; 51.7
the District of Columbia, June 1994.Of teenage,percent of victims were female. 83.9 percent of
unwed mothers, 60-67% were incest survivors. Losvictims were abused by a parent. 40.8% of child
Angeles Times survey, 199396% of teenagevictims were maltreated by their mothers acting
prostitutes were sexually molested in childhood.alone; another 18.8 percent were maltreated by their
CCPA, 1992. Almost 80% had become prostitutesfathers acting alone; 16.9 percent were abused by
before age 18. Ibid. *60% of prostitutes were 16 orboth parents.1Types of maltreatment
under; many were younger than 13. Ibid.Over 80% ofincluded:1Neglect (including medical neglect) 61%
the mothers of incest survivors were also sexuallyPhysical Abuse 19%
abused.57% of sexual child abuse and incestSexual Abuse 10% (90,600 children)
perpetrators are survivors of sexual child abuse.Psychological Maltreatment 5%
Goldstein-Harte Study 1973: Carter, et al.A sexual childMedical Maltreatment 2%
abuse perpetrator (a.k.a. sex offender) abuses anOther* 17%1U.S. Department of Health and Human
average of 117 children. National Institute of MentalServices, Administration on Children, Youth and
Health, 1988.Extensive evidence substantiates theFamilies, Child Maltreatment 2003 (Washington, DC:
fact that sexual child abuse has taken place forU.S. Government Printing Office, 2005).