This month we spread the word about and offer resources
for Child Abuse Prevention and Earth Day 2001.
According to the Federal publication Child
Maltreatment 1998, "...more than half of all child
abuse victims suffered neglect, while almost a quarter
suffered physical abuse. Nearly 12 percent of the victims
were sexually abused. Victims of psychological abuse and
medical neglect accounted for 6 percent or fewer each. In
addition, a quarter of victims were reported to be victims
of more than one type of maltreatment."
"The highest victimization rates were for the 0-3 age
group (14.8 maltreatments per 1,000 children of this age in
the population), and rates declined as age increased."
These statistics only cover victims in treatment.
We also abuse our one-and-only planet. We pollute
air, water and soil by depending on unnecessary automobile
use, excessive packaging and lack of recycling.
Criminal child abuse, although a very serious problem, is
committed by relatively few in our society but the vast
majority of us thoughtlessly hop in the car to get one or
two overly-packaged items. We overpay for these and
discard the unusable wrapping and containers. These
are destined for a land fill, burned or discharged into
streams to contaminate our water and kill aquatic life, and
eventually, us.
Links to Abuse Prevention and Earth Day 2001
sites are provided. Please take the time to visit some
of them.
Help prevent child abuse by becoming more aware of it and
our environment. If pollution is allowed to continue
it will be the last or ultimate abuse to our children
and future generations.
-- David Jackson
