childabusedefinitionandrates-Pubpages.pptVIP

CA Def Meas CHILD ABUSE:DEFINITION AND RATES END FOR SOC 695 * Soc 695 Family Violence In Research World Perspective Murray A. Straus HOW MUCH CHILD ABUSE IS THERE? DEPENDS ON SOURCE OF DATA CASES KNOWN TO CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES * About a million cases per year (2000 rates) * A fraction of the real total * Percent of these million cases (not percent of all children) Neglect 63% Physical abuse 19% Sexual abuse 10% The million cases known to CPS are a fraction of the real number The most frequent PHYSICAL ABUSE DEFINITION AN ACT CARRIED OUT BY A CAREGIVER WITH THE INTENTION OF CAUSING CHILD TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE PHYSICAL PAIN OR PHYSICAL INJURY WHAT IF THERE IS NO PHYSICAL INJURY? WHAT THE LAW SAYS AND WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS injured or high risk of injury TWO WAYS OF DRAWING THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AND PHYSICAL ABUSE CULTURAL NORMS DEFINE WHAT IS ABUSE INJURY TO THE CHILD DEFINES WHAT IS ABUSE EXAMPLE OF HITTING WITH A BELT OR HAIR BRUSH New Hampshire Supreme Court Decision Sweden OTHER POINTS Hitting or attempting to hit another adult is a crime even `when it does not cause injury Regardless of physical injury, both physical abuse and corporal punishment cause psychological injury. CHILD ABUSE DEATHS IN THE USA About 1,500 a year in recent years = About 4 children every day STUDIES OF DEATH RECORDS AUTOPSY REPORTS: MANY CASES MISSED IN OFFICIAL RECORDS – ACTUAL RATE COULD BE MUCH HIGHER % of Child Deaths Due to Maltreatment but Not Coded as Such McClain et al. (1993) Missouri 85% Crume et al. (2002) Colorado 1990 through 1998 50% Giddens et al. (1999) North Carolina 985 to 1994 60% USA: 1,500 PER YEAR; 4 PER DAY HOW DOES THE USA COMPARE WITH OTHER NATIONS? OF NON-FATAL PHYSICAL ABUSE 0.1% 2.3 or 11% ILLUSTRATES THE DIFFERENCE THAT THE MEASURE CAN MAKE WHAT BEHAVIORS ARE INCLUDED 0.9% 23 TO 100 TIMES GREATER CTSPC PARENT-CHILD CTS QUESTIONS ON PHYSICAL ABUS