We’re all against child abuse, but it’s easy to think it’s someone else’s problem. In reality it’s your problem too.
Victims are all around you:
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) estimates that 1 in 5 children in our state will be abused by the age of 18. Unless you are completely isolated from the world, there are children you know who are being abused, and adults all around you who are abuse survivors. They could be neighbors, co-workers, friends or even family members. Most survivors try to keep their abuse a closely held secret.
You’re paying the bills:
The amount of federal taxes we pay for child abuse each year is estimated as high as $585 billion. Healthcare costs alone are staggering as there are many life-long repercussions from abuse. A few examples:
- Physical damage including impaired brain development
- Poor mental and emotional health
- Substance abuse
- Teen Pregnancy
Your safety is at risk:
- Studies say 94 percent of incarcerated women have been victimized sexually, some as children, others as adults.
- 68 percent of the incarcerated adult male felons reported some form of early childhood victimization before age 12, either physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect
- Teens who have experienced abuse are nine times more likely to become involved in criminal activities
- Boys having 6 or more adverse experiences (abuse and neglect is typically more than a single incident) are 4,000 percent more likely to use intravenous drugs later in life (Felitti & Anda, 2009)
What YOU can do about it:
Our community needs to work together to reverse the dramatic rise in child maltreatment, and the first step is to let everyone know there IS a problem we all share. Please re-post this blog on Facebook and other social media today. Share with your family, friends and co-workers the facts and why