Oh hell!
... who die are younger than six years of age. Of these fatalities, 85 percent were under the age of six; 44 percent of the children were under the age of one. 1 More children (age four and younger) die from child abuse and neglect than any other single, leading cause of death for infants and young children. This includes falls, choking on food, suffocation, drowning, residential fires, and motor vehicle accidents. 2 REPORTING OF ABUSE Approximately 3 million reports of possible maltreatment are made to child protective service agencies each year. In calendar year 2000, these referrals concerned the welfare of approximately 5 million children.1 In 1999, an estimated 2.974 million child abuse reports were received by local child protective services (CPS) agencies. 1 The actual incidence of abuse and neglect is estimated to be three times greater than the number reported to authorities. 3 Child abuse is reported—on average—every 10 seconds. Based on approximately 3 million reports per year. 1 An estimated 879,000 victims of maltreatment were substantiated after investigation by child protective services agencies in 2000. 1 Nine in 10 Americans polled regard child abuse as a serious problem, yet only 1 in 3 reported abuse when confronted with an actual situation. 4 TYPES OF ABUSE In 2000, victimization rates were similar for male a...