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What can be done about child abuse fatalities in Florida?

By Staff | Mar 15, 2011

Florida residents have certainly been hit with their share of news about child tragedies in the last several weeks. From news of the first days of the Casey Anthony trial, to the gruesome story of the murder of Nubia Barahona and the serious injuries inflicted on her twin brother and now, two children have been found packed in luggage in a canal – the list goes on and the need for action is more apparent than ever. Often, the media and other commentators on the issue start by deciding where they should point the finger. Was law enforcement to blame? Or was it the state child welfare agency’s fault? Who should take the blame for the avoidable deaths of so many children?

The unfortunate truth about child abuse and neglect deaths is how common they are and it is safe to say that Florida is not alone. In fact, researchers believe there are nearly seven such child abuse and neglect deaths every day in America – some 2,500 a year, many more than the number of American fatalities in two wars in the same period. Yet the scope of the problem attracts little attention on the part of our national leaders or even the national media. The question should not be “What will it take to end child abuse fatalities in Florida,” but rather “What will it take to end child abuse fatalities in the United States” One simply cannot be accomplished without the other.

Child abuse and neglect are quite common in the United States, with a child being abused or neglected every 36 seconds. A look at child maltreatment fatalities in other countries lends credence to the notion that the United States has an inherent problem with child abuse. According to a UNICEF study, A League Table of Child Maltreatment Deaths in Rich Nations, the U.S. rate of child fatalities is three times higher than that of Canada and 11 times higher than that of Italy. This may be related to the fact that other advanced countries have lower rates of teen pregnancy, violent crime, imprisonment and poverty. Child abuse lands hardest on those in the poorest families. In fact, according to a 2005 Children’s Defense Fund study, poverty is the single best predictor of child abuse and neglect, likely due to the enormous stress associated with it.

The impact of child abuse in the U.S. is enormous with the issue affecting all socioeconomic and cultural demographics. According to a 2007 report by Prevent Child Abuse America, the price tag for treating victims alone is more than $100 billion a year. This $100 billion is a conservative estimate for what it includes, and does not even consider costs associated with the victims? families or the perpetrators. Most importantly, no dollar amount can capture the tragic and brutal way that even one child has died.

Even with broad public support for safeguarding every child, the reality is our nation’s current commitment of resources, laws, and policies for protecting children is inadequate, and must be addressed.

Several advocacy groups are working on this issue, including The National Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths. The Coalition has a list of recommendations for the child welfare system and the agencies with which the systems interact. Included in the recommendations are expanded services for needy families; a national strategy for better coordination of law enforcement and child protective services; changes to the current confidentiality laws associated with child abuse and neglect deaths; and increased funding for child protective services on a national level.

The United States federal government must develop a broad national strategy for curbing child abuse deaths. To learn more about the problem and what the public can do to assist the movement, visit the NCECAD website at www.endchildabusedeaths.org and sign a petition asking Congress to hold hearings on how to decrease child abuse and neglect deaths and save our children from avoidable deaths.

Kimberly Day, coordinator

The National Coalition

to End Child Abuse Deaths

Washington DC 20005