February 22, 2007 - Summary - Child Maltreatment 2004 (Excerpt)

ASSEMBLYWOMAN SALLY LIEBER
22ND ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
For Immediate Release: February 22, 2007
Contact: Cory Jasperson
Phone: (916) 319-2022

Summary - Child Maltreatment 2004 (Excerpt)

Overview

For Federal fiscal year 2004, an estimated 3 million children were alleged to have been abused or neglected and received investigations or assessments by State and local child protective services (CPS) agencies. Approximately 872,000 children were determined to be victims of child maltreatment.
The Child Maltreatment reports are available on the Internet at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/index.htm#can.

What types of maltreatment were found?

More than 60 percent of child victims were neglected by their parents or other caregivers. About 18 percent were physically abused, 10 percent were sexually abused, and 7 percent were emotionally maltreated. In addition, 15 percent were associated with "other" types of maltreatment based on specific State laws and policies. A child could be a victim of more than one type of maltreatment.

What were the characteristics of victims?

Children in the age group of birth to 3 years had the highest rate of victimization at 16.1 per 1,000 children of the same age group in the national population. Girls were slightly more likely to be victims than boys were.
African-American children, Pacific Islander children, and American Indian or Alaska Native children had the highest rates of victimization at 19.9, 17.6, and 15.5 per 1,000 children of the same race or ethnicity, respectively. White children and Hispanic children had rates of approximately 10.7 and 10.4 per 1,000 children of the same race or ethnicity, respectively.

Fatalities

Child fatalities are the most tragic consequence of maltreatment. For 2004, an estimated 1,490 children died due to child abuse or neglect.

What were the characteristics of these children?

More than 80 percent of children who were killed were younger than 4 years old; approximately 12 percent were 4-7 years old; 4 percent were 8-11 years old, and 3 percent were 12-17 years old.
Infant boys (younger than 1 year old) had the highest rate of fatalities, nearly 18 deaths per 100,000 boys of the same age in the national population. Infant girls had a rate of 17 deaths per 100,000 girls of the same age. The overall rate of child fatalities was 2 deaths per 100,000 children. More than one-third of child fatalities were attributed to neglect; physical abuse also was a major contributor to child fatalities.

Perpetrators

Approximately 79 percent of perpetrators were parents. Other relatives accounted for 7 percent and unmarried partners of parents and "other" accounted for 4 percent and 5 percent of perpetrators, respectively. The remaining perpetrator relationship types accounted for less than 1 percent each.

What were the characteristics of perpetrators?

Female perpetrators, mostly mothers, were typically younger than male perpetrators, mostly fathers. Women also comprised a larger percentage of all perpetrators than men, 58 percent compared to 42 percent. Of the parents who maltreated children, less than 3 percent committed sexual abuse, while 63 percent committed neglect. Of the perpetrators who were friends or neighbors, nearly three-quarters committed sexual abuse, while 10 percent committed neglect.

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Assemblywoman.Lieber@assembly.ca.gov
Office of Assemblywoman Sally J. Lieber
Capitol Office ¨ State Capitol ¨, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0022
District Office ¨ 100 Paseo de San Antonio, Suite 300 ¨ San Jose, CA 95113


ASSEMBLYWOMAN SALLY LIEBER 22ND ASSEMBLY DISTRICT For Immediate Release: February 22, 2007 Contact: Cory Jasperson Phone: (916) 319-2022
Summary - Child Maltreatment 2004 (Excerpt)

Overview For Federal fiscal year 2004, an estimated 3 million children were alleged to have been abused or neglected and received investigations or assessments by State and local child protective services (CPS) agencies. Approximately 872,000 children were determined to be victims of child maltreatment. The Child Maltreatment reports are available on the Internet at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/index.htm#can. What types of maltreatment were found? More than 60 percent of child victims were neglected by their parents or other caregivers. About 18 percent were physically abused, 10 percent were sexually abused, and 7 percent were emotionally maltreated. In addition, 15 percent were associated with "other" types of maltreatment based on specific State laws and policies. A child could be a victim of more than one type of maltreatment. What were the characteristics of victims? Children in the age group of birth to 3 years had the highest rate of victimization at 16.1 per 1,000 children of the same age group in the national population. Girls were slightly more likely to be victims than boys were. African-American children, Pacific Islander children, and American Indian or Alaska Native children had the highest rates of victimization at 19.9, 17.6, and 15.5 per 1,000 children of the same race or ethnicity, respectively. White children and Hispanic children had rates of approximately 10.7 and 10.4 per 1,000 children of the same race or ethnicity, respectively. Fatalities Child fatalities are the most tragic consequence of maltreatment. For 2004, an estimated 1,490 children died due to child abuse or neglect. What were the characteristics of these children? More than 80 percent of children who were killed were younger than 4 years old; approximately 12 percent were 4-7 years old; 4 percent were 8-11 years old, and 3 percent were 12-17 years old. Infant boys (younger than 1 year old) had the highest rate of fatalities, nearly 18 deaths per 100,000 boys of the same age in the national population. Infant girls had a rate of 17 deaths per 100,000 girls of the same age. The overall rate of child fatalities was 2 deaths per 100,000 children. More than one-third of child fatalities were attributed to neglect; physical abuse also was a major contributor to child fatalities. Perpetrators Approximately 79 percent of perpetrators were parents. Other relatives accounted for 7 percent and unmarried partners of parents and "other" accounted for 4 percent and 5 percent of perpetrators, respectively. The remaining perpetrator relationship types accounted for less than 1 percent each. What were the characteristics of perpetrators? Female perpetrators, mostly mothers, were typically younger than male perpetrators, mostly fathers. Women also comprised a larger percentage of all perpetrators than men, 58 percent compared to 42 percent. Of the parents who maltreated children, less than 3 percent committed sexual abuse, while 63 percent committed neglect. Of the perpetrators who were friends or neighbors, nearly three-quarters committed sexual abuse, while 10 percent committed neglect.
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Assemblywoman.Lieber@assembly.ca.gov Office of Assemblywoman Sally J. Lieber Capitol Office ¨ State Capitol ¨, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0022 District Office ¨ 100 Paseo de San Antonio, Suite 300 ¨ San Jose, CA 95113