How many children were reported as victims of maltreatment in Virginia?
From July of 2008 through June of 2009, 47,571 children were reported as possible victims of abuse and/or neglect in 33,405 reports to Virginia's city and county departments of social services.
Were all these reports founded?
Founded means that a review of the facts met the legal criteria for abuse. 5,921 children were victims in founded reports of child abuse and/or neglect.
How many children died as a result of child abuse/neglect?
34 children in Virginia died from injuries attributable to abuse and/or neglect in fiscal year 2009 - 28 of these children (67%) were aged 4 or under.
Who were the children?
- 39% of all victims of child abuse and neglect were children aged 7 or under. 79% of all victims were children aged 12 and under.
- 59% of all victims were white, 31% were black, 5% were multiracial, and 1% were Asian.
What were the types of maltreatment?
- 56.3% of the maltreatment was due to physical neglect (Officially described as failure to provide food, clothing, shelter or supervision to the child to the extent that the child's health or safety was endangered).
- 25.4% of the maltreatment was due to physical abuse.
- 13.8% of the maltreatment was due to sexual abuse.
- 2.6% was due to medical neglect.
- 2.1% of the maltreatment was due to mental abuse/neglect
The cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States is estimated at $258 million per day, according to a Prevent Child Abuse America study. Abused and neglected children are more likely to exhibit behavior disorders, to become teen parents, to need special education and remedial help in school, to abuse alcohol and drugs, and to enter the juvenile justice system.
Child abuse and neglect are often characterized as part of a cycle because parents who suffered abuse as children often end up abusing their own children. The cycle of child abuse can be broken when families at risk receive family support services and parenting education, child abuse prevention experts say.
HOW CAN CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT BE PREVENTED?
Recognize the warning signs: parents under chronic stress, children exhibiting negative and anxious behaviors, signs of physical abuse.
Encourage families under stress to seek out support services.
Call the 1-800-CHILDREN support line.
Report suspected child abuse and neglect. Call your local social services department or call the Virginia Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at
1-800-552-7096.
For more statistics go to Virginia Social Services - CPS Statistics
For national statistics go to Prevent Child Abuse America