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Child Abuse is the inability or unwillingness to give adequate care to a child, the purposeful inflicting of physical injuries, emotional harm, and sexual abuse. Child Abuse can include any of the following.

• PHYSICAL ABUSE: A physical injury which is inflicted by other than accidental means on a child by a parent, a caregiver, or other adult known or unknown to the child. Corporal punishment becomes child abuse if it causes internal or external injuries.
• SEXUAL ABUSE: Includes rape, incest, sodomy, oral copulation, penetration of an oral or anal opening by a foreign object, child molestation and lewd/lascivious behavior with a child both in and out of the family.
• UNJUSTIFIABLE PUNISHMENT: Unreasonable or extreme patterns of discipline that result in emotional distress or physical suffering for a child.
• WILLFUL CRUELTY: Willfully causing or permitting a child to suffer, inflicting unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or knowingly placing a child in a dangerous situation.
• MENTAL SUFFERING/EMOTIONAL NEGLECT: Causing or permitting children mental suffering or failing to provide normal experiences that produce feelings of being loved, wanted, secure and worthwhile. Ignoring or refusing to consider a child’s emotional needs.
• DOMESTIC/FAMILY VIOLENCE: Often children are the hardest hit by domestic or family violence. Exposure to domestic abuse is psychological abuse and extremely damaging.
• SUBSTANCE ABUSE: Children are affected by parental involvement with alcohol and drugs through actions of parents caused by substances and exposure to manufacture and sales of illegal substances.

Neglect occurs when parents are unable or unwilling to provide for basic needs, such as food, shelter, medical care, educational needs, and emotional needs, of a child.Back to topChild Abuse Prevention In Your CommunityWe all have a role to play in building strong communities in which families and children are valued and supported. It is in these kinds of communities that children are safest from abuse and neglect. Prevent Child Abuse America has developed the "Five R's which can help individuals better understand the role they can play in child abuse prevention.

• Raise the issue. Call or write your candidates and elected officials to educate them about issues in your community and the need for child abuse prevention, intervention and treatment programs. Contact your local school district and faith community to encourage them to sponsor classes and support programs for new parents.
• Reach out to kids and parents in your community. Anything you do to support kids and parents in your family and extended community helps to reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. Be a good neighbor. Offer to baby-sit. Donate your children's used clothing, furniture, and toys for use by another family. Be kind and supportive, particularly to new parents and children.
• Remember the risk factors. Child abuse and neglect occur in all segments of our society, but the risk factors are greater in families where parents:
  1. Abuse alcohol or drugs
  2. Are isolated from their families or communities
  3. Have difficulty controlling their anger or stress
  4. Appear uninterested in the care, nourishment, or safety of their children
  5. Seem to be having serious economic, housing, or personal problems.
• Recognize the warning signs. Some of the warning signs that a child might be abuse or neglected include:
  1. Nervousness around adults
  2. Aggression toward adults or other children
  3. Inability to stay awake or to concentrate for extended periods
  4. Sudden, dramatic changes in personality or activities
  5. Acting out sexually or showing interest in sex that is not appropriate for his or her age
  6. Frequent or unexplained bruises or injuries
  7. Low self-esteem
  8. Poor hygiene
• Report suspected abuse or neglect. If you suspect abuse or neglect is occurring, report it - and keep reporting it - until something is done. Contact child protective services and 781-KIDS (781-5437) or local Law Enforcement.
  

Statistics on Child Abuse According to the SLO County Child Welfare Services, we know that in 2000-2001 there were 2,970 reports of suspected child abuse. Of those 2,970 reports, the following percentages were reported in each of the following categories. (Some in more than one category.)

Neglect-46%
Physical Abuse- 29%
Emotional Abuse-25%
Child At Risk -17%
Severe Neglect-2%

It was determined that 159 children needed to be removed from their families and placed in Foster Care.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Child Maltreatment 2000 report, we know the following:

• Boys and girls are almost equally likely to experience neglect and physical abuse. However, girls are four times more likely to experience sexual abuse
• Children of all races and ethnicities experience child abuse. In 2000, more than one-half of all reported victims were White (51%); African-American(25%); 14% were Hispanic, other races 1%.
• Children of all ages experience abuse, but the youngest children are most vulnerable. Children younger than one year old account for nearly one-half (44%) of child abuse and neglect deaths reported in 2000; 85% of the children who died were younger than six years of age.
• At least 4 out of 5 victims are abused by one or both parents. By definition, perpetrators of child abuse and neglect are the very people responsible for the child's safety and well-being (including parents, other relatives and babysitters.)
• The most common group of people found to be responsible for neglect and physical abuse were mothers acting alone (47%). In cases of sexual abuse, non-relatives and fathers acting alone are more likely to be responsible (32%).

WHY DOES CHILD ABUSE OCCUR ?Although not all causes of child abuse and neglect are known, a significant body of research has identified several risk factors and protective factors associated with child abuse. Studies also have shown that when there are multiple risk factors present, the risk is greater. For example, lack of preparation or knowledge of critical issues surrounding parenting, financial or other environmental stressors(substance abuse) difficulty in relationships, and depression or other mental health problems can all lead to abusive or neglectful behavior.

Parents may lack an understanding of their children's developmental stages and hold unreasonable expectations for their abilities. They also may be unaware of alternatives to corporal punishment or how to appropriately discipline their children at different ages. Parents also may lack knowledge of the health, hygiene, and nutritional needs of their children.

These circumstances, combined with the inherent challenges of raising children, can result in otherwise well-intentioned parents causing their children harm or neglecting their needs.

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