Child Abuse Numbers in Question

Family News ^ | 9/10/01 | Charles R. MiVille

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that overall child abuse has declined almost 20 percent since 1993.
But there are some questions and dark clouds lingering in that good news.

While government numbers show child abuse is down overall, some forms of child abuse, such as sexual abuse, are increasing.

"Because of the availability of pornography, et cetera . . . it is more likely that the number of child sexual abuse cases in this country is on the increase," said Rick Schatz, who leads the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families.

Some, like Kevin Kirkpatrick with Prevent Child Abuse America, question the government's numbers. For example, Kirkpatrick said he has studies that show a major increase even in overall child abuse in the last 10 years.

"The number of reports (of abuse) nationwide increased more than 30 percent," he said.

Moreover, there is another problem that is throwing cold water on the findings: Government figures do not include every form of child abuse. Susan Orr, of the Children's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Human Services, said her agency only reports on abuse by family members or caretakers.

"A stranger raping a child is not counted in our numbers," Orr said.

In fact, Schatz said the statistics on child abuse don't tell us very much at all.

"The percentage of cases that are reported is highly debated, and nobody actually knows what that is," Schatz said.

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While government numbers show child abuse is down overall, some forms of child abuse, such as sexual abuse, are increasing.

Sad. And there are some, even in this forum, who believe that it's okay allow avowed deviants and perverts to teach our children and serve as leaders of children's groups like the Boy Scouts of America. With the overall decline in moral standards and "tolerance" of every sort of depravity, is it any wonder our children are being abused?