2.1
We Are...
committed to addressing child abuse in our community
Child abuse is a significant issue that affects us all, and happens in every community. Watch the video below to learn more about the prevalence and long-term consequences of child abuse.
"The earlier abuse is identified, the greater chance children have to heal and avoid perpetuating the cycle of destructive behavior. But, there is much to be done. To keep children safe, we all need to be vigilant."
-Dr. Benjamin H. Levi
Dr. Benjamin H. Levi is the director of Penn State Hershey Center for the Protection of Children and is a professor of pediatrics and humanities at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine.
Show Transcript
Child abuse has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control as a public health concern that causes significant medical and mental health consequences - many of which affect not just children, but also the adults they become.
Nearly SIX MILLION children are reported for suspected maltreatment each year in the United States.
An average of FIVE children - most of them under the age of four - die every day from abuse or neglect.
Estimates indicate that ONE OUT OF EVERY FIVE children in the U.S. will be sexually abused before their eighteenth birthday.
Sadly, studies show that most victims of sexual abuse do not disclose their mistreatment for at least a year. One-third of all victims never tell anyone about the abuse they have endured. Children who DO disclose sexual abuse are often not believed, causing them to suffer both the effects of their abuse and the betrayal of the trust they once held for parents, caregivers, or other adults.
The deep, long-lasting scars of maltreatment inevitably change a child’s life trajectory. Victims of abuse are much more likely to develop self-destructive habits and lifestyles, early chronic illness, disability, and premature death. They are also more likely to pass their inflicted injuries on to the next generation of victims.
The earlier abuse is identified, the greater chance children have to heal and avoid perpetuating this cycle of destructive behavior.But there is much to be done.
To keep children safe, WE ALL NEED TO BE VIGILANT.
HideWe are...
all responsible for lifting this burden from children.
Do you know...
How many children in the United State die each day from abuse and neglect?
Nearly five children in the United States die every day from abuse and neglect.
--We Can Do Better: Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths in America (2010).Every Child Matters Education Fund. Washington D.C.
The prevalence of child abuse is so great that states have put into place laws protecting children and requiring certain individuals to report any suspected cases of child abuse.
In the next section, we will provide an overview of Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law and Penn State policy.
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