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Date: Monday, April 1, 1996 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Michael Kharfen(202)401-9215
HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today released new state statistics on child abuse and neglect and called on all Americans to help stop the growing harm inflicted on the country's children.
The "Child Maltreatment 1994: Reports from the States to the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect" shows that 1,012,000 children in 48 states were victims of substantiated child abuse and neglect in 1994, an increase of 27 percent since 1990.
"It is an outrage that innocent children are brutalized and killed in a country that offers children the best hope for healthy and productive lives," Secretary Shalala said. "April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and we must all rededicate ourselves to even stronger efforts to save children."
The report found that 53 percent of maltreated children suffered neglect, 26 percent physical abuse, 14 percent sexual abuse, 5 percent emotional abuse and 22 percent other forms of maltreatment. Nearly half of the children abused or neglected were 6 years old or younger, while more than a quarter were 3 years old or younger.
"President Clinton is committed to work with states and communities to stop this national tragedy," Secretary Shalala said. The administration requested $419 million in discretionary spending for Fiscal Year 1997 to protect abused and neglected children -- by encouraging parental responsibility when possible and when necessary securing the safety of children. Spending has increased from $355 million in FY 1992.
Loss of life is the severest penalty of child abuse and neglect. Forty-three states reported that 1,111 children died as a result of abuse in 1994. During the five-year period of 1990 to 1994, states totaled 5,400 children killed.
Estimates of the actual extent of child abuse and neglect are difficult to obtain, according to Mary Jo Bane, assistant secretary for children and families. The estimates released today only reflect state-substantiated incidents. Other recent studies using different reporting methodologies have estimated that many more children are being abused than are ultimately verified by states. Preliminary results from the Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect, for example, estimate that almost three times the state-reported number of children are maltreated.
"We must all take responsibility for the most vulnerable and denounce the damage and destruction to young lives," said Mary Jo Bane. "As part of our on-going effort to prevent any child from becoming a victim, we are providing much needed information to communities across the country."
The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, part of HHS, prepared the 1996 April Child Abuse Neglect Prevention Month Resource Kit which is now available. The kit, including practical suggestions, will be sent to 30,000 organizations to help individuals and groups better inform their communities on how to prevent child abuse. HHS is encouraging organizations to sponsor activities during the month and throughout the year.
To request a copy of the kit or for more information, call the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information at 1-800-FYI-3366 or write to P.O. Box 1182, Washington, D.C. 20013-1182.