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What’s behind the alleged drop in child abuse cases?
A recent Journal article on the decreasing numbers of child abuse cases called for a deeper examination even before our nation was shocked, once again, by the tragedy in Newtown — another senseless act aimed at children and those who work with them.
Crimes and violence against children are so rampant in our communities that it was alarming to read this article reporting the contrary.
According to an Associated Press article, child abuse cases have dropped for five years in the United States and Health and Human Services interprets the declining numbers as excellent progress.
While these numbers are positive, we need to ask ourselves how these numbers are reflected in our immediate community.
All Faiths has worked with traumatized children since the 1950s and we have seen an increase in the need for services every year and we have not experienced a recent decline in child abuse.
Five years ago All Faiths provided around 700 forensic interviews to abused and neglected children. In 2012, we have had nearly 1,000 cases.
Local CYFD documents reveal even more sobering data with nearly 10,000 reports of alleged child abuse in 2010, the last full year in which data is available.
We must embrace the idea that preventative services matter and that all of us need to be vigilant for signs of abuse and neglect.
We know that the work of behavioral health agencies has the potential to engage children in healing and perhaps even preventing tragedies like the latest one in Newtown, but the dialogue must extend beyond the walls of these organizations. It needs to include government entities, nonprofit and for profit organizations, and individuals in taking responsibility for resolving child abuse and its effects on our society.
Now is the time to start the conversation about our individual and collective responsibilities when it comes to health care and specifically behavioral health care, so that our voices support prevention.
All of us can and need to be part of this as individuals and as concerned citizens so we build support for generations to come.
