Child Abuse Prevention

Success By 6 is committed to - Building Strong Families

• Increasing access of parent education to high-risk families and reducing the incidences of reported child abuse
• Improving the quality of parent education and family support programs

What is Child Abuse?

The State of California defines child abuse as (1) physical injury inflicted on a child by another person, (2) sexual abuse, or (3) emotional abuse. Child neglect is defined as negligent treatment that threatens the child's health or welfare.

Physical Abuse

Bodily injury inflicted by other than accidental means on a child, including willful cruelty, unjustifiable punishment, or corporal punishment.

Signs of physical abuse:

• Be in the shape of article used such as belt buckles, cords, etc.
• Description of how injury occurred does not correlate to the actual injury.

Sexual Abuse

The victimization of a child by sexual activities, including molestation, indecent exposure, fondling, rape, and incest.

Signs of sexual abuse:

• Child has poor peer relationships or a constant fear of being left alone
• Inappropriate interest or knowledge of sexual matters

Emotional Abuse

Non-physical mistreatment, resulting in disturbed behavior by the child, such as severe withdrawal or hyperactivity. Emotional abuse includes willfully causing any child to suffer, inflicting mental suffering, or endangering a child's emotional well being.

Signs of emotional abuse:

• Show abnormal need for emotional support
• Sleep or speech disorders
• Fail to grow normally

General Neglect

Negligent failure of a parent/guardian or caretaker to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or supervision where no physical injury to the child has occurred.

Signs of general neglect:

• Are always left alone unsupervised
• Constantly tired

Severe Neglect

Situations of neglect where the child's health is endangered, including severe malnutrition.

Signs of severe neglect:

• Constant illness
• Weak and feeble body structure

Responding to Child Abuse

Stopping child abuse in public...

• Try to talk to the parent in order to divert the parent's attention away from the child or instead talk to the child
• If a child is left alone, stand by the child until the parent returns
• At the first opportunity praise the parent or child
• Never give negative looks or remarks because this will often increase the parent's anger and make matters worse

How to respond to a child reporting abuse...

• Tell the child that you believe him/her and will contact people who can provide assistance
• Do not place blame or judgment on the child or parent
• Do not display signs of horror, astonishment, or disgust

Important Numbers

Local Resources

Orange County Social Services Agency

Prevent Child Abuse Orange County

Child Abuse Prevention Councils in California

Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center

Child Welfare League of America

Needs...

• In Orange County (OC), there almost 841,000 children, under the age of 18, (30% of OC's population are)
• Nearly 25,000 reports of child abuse were made in OC in 2001. (OC Social Services Agency, OC SSA)
• 2,171 were removed from their homes and placed in OC foster care or emergency shelters.
• In OC last year, three children (all under the age of one year) died of child abuse. (OC SSA)
• OC spends more than $194 million tax dollars each year to provide services to abused and neglected children and their families.
• Abused children are 53% more likely to be arrested as juveniles and 38% more likely to commit violent crimes as adults. (Prevent Child Abuse - Orange County)
• The cost of preventing child abuse is a small fraction of what it costs to intervene after a child has been abused.
• Child abuse continues to be a prevailing issue affecting too many children and families in OC