child abuse STATISTICS
1 out of 4 girls & 1 out of 6 boys is sexually abused in the US before age 18. More than 90% of these children are victimized by someone they know. (US Department of Justice)
Florida is the 2nd deadliest state for children—U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Child Maltreatment 2012
In Florida, an average of 5children die every DAY at the hands of an abuser
Every year, more than 50,000 children are victims or child abuse and neglect in Florida.
Every day seven children in South Florida are removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect.
Premature infants are 3 times more likely to be abused than full term babies.
Children who experience abuse or neglect are 9 times more likely to become involved in criminal activity.
Children who experience abuse or neglect are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.
The 2 biggest reasons for child abuse are family violence and drug addition.
As many as 2 or 3 people in treatment for drug abuse reported being abused or neglected as children.
About 90% of child abuse victims know their perpetrators.
We are all mandated reporters of abuse and neglect. Report suspicions of child abuse: 1-800-96-ABUSE Protecting Children is Everyone’s Job.
Facts about shaken baby syndrome (sbs)
Immediate symptoms of SBS include tiredness, not eating, no smiling, talking or laughing difficulty swallowing, sucking, or breathing, vomiting, difficulty staying awake, or the baby is very stiff or like a rag doll.
Shaking can cause brain injury, cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing loss, learning and behavior problems, seizures, paralysis, and death.
1,000-3,000 children in U.S. suffer from shaken baby syndrome (SBS) each year.
It only takes a few seconds of violent shaking to cause permanent damage for kids.
One fourth of victims of SBS die, and 80% of survivors suffer from permanent damage.
The care for shaken baby syndrome victims costs up to $16 billion a year in U.S
Facts about foster children
Less than 50% of Florida’s foster children graduate High School
30% are more likely to be substance abusers
50% have been victims of domestic abuse
85% have mental health issues
40% become parents within 2 years of leaving foster care
25% will be homeless within one year
75% experience unemployement
1 in 4 boys and 1 in 10 girls end up in prison
“How Much Does Child Abuse Cost? Study Says $400K Over a Lifetime
Child maltreatment is often measured by lives forever scarred by trauma and families torn apart, but a new study estimates that each case of abuse also carries a hefty price tag. According to researchers with the San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center in collaboration and the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, each incidence of child abuse costs the public $400,533 over the course of a victim’s lifetime.”