Statistics on Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence
Child Abuse:
(Victims):
- During 2003, 60.9 percent of victims experienced neglect, 18.9 percent were physically
abused, 9.9 percent were sexually abused, 4.9 percent were emotionally or psychologically
maltreated, and 2.3 percent were medically neglected
- For 2003, 48.3 percent of child victims were boys, and 51.7 percent of the victims were
girls.
- The youngest children accounted for the largest percentage of victims. Children younger
than 1-year-old accounted for 9.8 percent of victims.
- Pacific Islander children, American Indian or Alaska Native children, and African-American
children had the highest rates of victimization at 21.4, 21.3, and 20.4 per 1,000 children of
the same race or ethnicity, respectively. White children and Hispanic children had rates of
approximately 11.0 and 9.9 per 1,000 children of the same race or ethnicity, respectively.
Asian children had the lowest rate of 2.7 per 1,000 children of the same race or ethnicity.
- One-half of all victims were White (53.6%); one-quarter (25.5%) were African-American; and
one-tenth (11.5%) were Hispanic. For most racial categories, the largest percentage of victims
suffered from neglect.
- More than 80 percent (83.9%) of victims were abused by at least one parent. Approximately
two-fifths (40.8%) of child victims were maltreated by their mothers acting alone; another 18.8
percent were maltreated by their fathers acting alone; 16.9 percent were abused by both
parents. Victims abused by nonparental perpetrators accounted for 13.4 percent of the total.
(Fatalities):
- During 2003, an estimated 1,500 children died from abuse or neglect—a rate of 2.00 deaths
per 100,000 children. During 2002, an estimated 1,400 children died from abuse or
neglect.
- More than three-quarters (78.7%) of children who were killed were younger than 4 years of
age; 10.2 percent were 4-7 years of age; 5.4 percent were 8-11 years of age; and 5.7 percent
were 12-17 years of age.
- White children accounted for 43.1 percent of all child fatalities.4 African-American
children accounted for 30.9 percent and Hispanic children accounted for 14.8 percent of
fatalities. Children of American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Pacific Islander, "other," or
multiple race descent accounted for less than 2 percent of fatalities for each race or
ethnicity. The race or ethnicity was missing or not able to be determined for 6.3 percent of
the children.
- Three-quarters (78.2%) of child fatalities were caused by one or more parents. Almost
one-third (30.5%) of fatalities were perpetrated by the mother acting alone. Nonparental
perpetrators (e.g., other relative, foster parent, residential facility staff, other, legal
guardian, etc.) were responsible for 17.7 percent of fatalities.
- The three main categories of maltreatment related to fatalities were neglect (35.6%),
combinations of maltreatment types (28.9%), and physical abuse (28.4%).
(Perpetrators):
- For 2003, 58.2 percent of the perpetrators were women and 41.8 percent were men.
- The largest percentage of perpetrators (79.7%) were parents. The category of
parents includes birth parents, adoptive parents, and stepparents. Other relatives accounted
for an additional 6.4 percent. Unmarried partners of parents accounted for 4.0 percent of
perpetrators.
- More than one-half (57.0%) of all perpetrators were found to have neglected children.
Sli>Slightly more than 10 percent (11.2%) of perpetrators physically abused children, and 7.2
percent sexually abused children.
- There were variations in these overall patterns when the relationship of perpetrator to the
child victim was considered. Less than 3 percent (2.7%) of parents committed sexual abuse;
however, 29.9 percent of other relatives, 26.8 percent of other professionals, 23.0 percent of
daycare providers, and 11.5 percent of residential facility staff committed sexual abuse. More
than three-quarters (75.9%) of perpetrators who were friends or neighbors committed sexual
abuse.
Source:
Child Maltreatment
2003 @ Administration for Children & Families
Rape:
Please visit RAINN's statisics page, as it is
quite exhaustive.
Domestic Violence:
"In (sad) fact, if a full jumbo jet crashed into a mountain killing everyone on board, and if
that happened every month, month in and month out, the number of people killed still wouldn't
equal the amount of women murdered by their husbands and boyfriends each year." - Gavin
DeBecker, The Gift of Fear, pg. 8
For DV statistics against women, please click here.
I am also looking for other kinds of DV statisics, such as DV between gay/lesbian couples, and
DV against men. If you know of any good links, please email me.
As Waters Passing By > Statistics