Altruism & Society Campaign - Child Abuse
The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum: “Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm” (Childwelfare, 2008, pg. 3).The number of confirmed reports of child abuse in 2005 is 899,000 (U.S. Department, 2007). In 2005, 12 children out of every 1,000 children up to age 18 in the United States was a victim of some form of maltreatment or abuse. Child abuse falls into six categories, some that are more self-evident such as physical abuse that leaves marks on the outside of the body and others, such as emotional, which leaves no mark save the one on the child’s heart and mind. The various forms of maltreatment for 2005 fall into the following categories:

Neglect 62.8%
Physical Abuse 16.6%
Sexual Abuse 9.3%
Emotional/psychological 7.1%
Medical Neglect 2.0%
Other 14.3%

The listed percentages equal over 100% as children are not always the victim of just one category; regrettably, children may be the victim of both physical and emotional abuse.

Studies into the cycle of abuse has shown that a person abused as a child becoming abusive as an adult, reveals “about one-third of people who are abused in childhood will become abusers themselves” ((NYTimes, 1989, pg. 1). Research has also revealed that abused children are more likely to have issues as an adult with depression and alcoholism, along with sexual maladjustment, and mental illness of multiple personality (NYTimes, 1989).
The cycle of abuse needs to stop for the child, the parent, and society’s future. The children of today are the future of tomorrow and need to be able to grow both emotionally and