NUMBER OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTS NATIONWIDE
In 1996, over 3 million (3,126,000) children were reported for child abuse and neglect to child protective service (CPS) agencies in the United States. This figure represents less than a 1% increase over the number of children reported in 1995. Experts attribute much of the recent increase in reporting to greater public awareness of and willingness to report child maltreatment, as well as changes in how states collected or defined a reportable act of maltreatment (Wang & Daro, 1997). Currently, about 47 out of every 1,000 children are reported as victims of child maltreatment. Overall, child abuse reporting levels have increased 45% between 1987 and 1996.

In 1996, 969,000 children were substantiated by CPS as victims of child maltreatment. This represents 14 out of every 1,000 U.S. children.

According to the 1996 survey, physical abuse represented 23% of confirmed cases, sexual abuse 9%, neglect 60%, emotional maltreatment 4% and other forms of maltreatment 5%. These percentages have undergone some shift since 1986 when approximately 26% of the children were reported for physical abuse, 16% for sexual abuse, 55% for neglect, and 8% for emotional maltreatment (AAPC, 1988).

INCIDENCE OF CHILD MALTREATMENT IN THE GENERAL POPULATION
In 1993, approximately 41.2 children per 1,000 experienced abuse or neglect. Only half of these incidents were reported to CPS agencies (Sedlak, 1996).

CHILD FATALITIES
In 1996, an estimated 1,046 child abuse and neglect related fatalities were confirmed by CPS agencies. Since 1985, the rate of child abuse fatalities has increased by 20%. Based on these numbers, more than three children die each day as a result of child abuse or neglect (Wang & Daro, 1997).

In 1996, those states which kept this statistic reported that almost 77% of these children are less than five years old at the time of their death, while 45% under one year of age (Wang & Daro, 1997). As for cause of death, 45% of deaths resulted from neglect, 52% from physical abuse and 3% from a combination of neglectful and physically abusive parenting. Approximately 40% of these deaths occurred to children known to child protective service agencies as current or prior clients.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
Studies of the general population of adults show that anywhere from 6 to 63% of females were sexually abused as children. A 1985 L.A. Times national survey found that 27% of women and 16% of men reported being sexually abused prior to age 18 (Finkelhor, 1986). The true extent of sexual abuse is unknown.

SEX ABUSE IN DAY CARE
A recent study of disclosed cases of child abuse in center based day care revealed no especially high risk of sexual abuse for children sent to such a setting. While an average of 5.5 children per 10,000 enrolled in day care are sexually abused, an average of 8.9 children out of every 10,000 are abused in the home (Finkelhor & Williams, 1988).

Based on information from 16 states, reports of abuse in day care, foster care, or other institutional care settings represented about 2% of all confirmed cases in 1996 (Lung & Daro, 1997). This percentage has remained consistent over the past ten years.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND CHILD ABUSE
The link between substance abuse and child abuse has strengthened over the years. It is estimated that 9 to 10 million children under the age of 18 are directly affected by substance-abusing parents (Woodside, 1988). In 1996, twelve states had an average of 39% of their substantiated cases involving substance abuse, with the percentage ranging from 7% to 100% (Lung & Daro, 1997).

The national incidence for fetal alcohol syndrome is 1.9 per 1000 live births. Each year, at least 1 in 10 or 375,000 babies born in the United States have been exposed to illegal drugs taken by their mother during pregnancy (Ogintz, 1988). The effects of having been exposed to either illegal drugs or alcohol prenatally include low-birth weight, small head size, long-term medical complications, and increased incidence of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). In addition, exposed infants tend to be irritable, lethargic, and difficult to console which interferes with parent-child bonding and increases the likelihood of abuse or neglect.

Wang, C.T. and Daro, D. (1997). Current Trends in Child Abuse Reporting and Fatalities: The Results of the 1996 Annual Fifty State Survey. Chicago, IL: National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse.

American Association for Protecting Children (AAPC). (1988) Highlights of Official Child Neglect and Abuse Reporting, 1986. Denver, CO.: American Humane Association.

Finkelhor, D. (1986) A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse. California: Sage Publications.

Finkelhor, D. and Williams, L. (1988) Nursery Crimes: Sexual Abuse in Day Care. California: Sage Publications.

Ogintz, E. The Littlest Victim. Chicago Tribune, Thursday, October 6, 1988.

Sedlak, A. (1996). Early Findings from the Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect: 1988. Rockville, MD: Westat, Inc. (301) 251-4211.

Woodside, M. (1988) Research on Children of Alcoholics: Past and Future. British Journal of Addiction, 83:785-792.

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