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Child Abuse
What We Do
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What is the Scope of the ProblemNationally: Last year over 5 million reports of child abuse and neglect. State Wide: Over 100,000 reports in North Carolina Locally: Over 4,000 reports in Buncombe County alone Substantiated: About one third. However, research indicates about 3x more children are abused than reported. Who is most vulnerable? Children 6 years and younger make up 50% of cases and children under 12 account for 75%. Almost even between girls and boys Is this really happening in North Carolina? The "KIDS COUNT data book" from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which measures ten key indicators of child well being, ranked North Carolina 41st of the 50 states last year. The "Children's Index and Child Health Report Card" from the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute of Raleigh, gave the state D's and F's in child treatment, stating that if it were a communicable disease, child abuse and neglect would be declared an epidemic in North Carolina. Research indicates one in every five children will be abused. The cost of child abuse is $250 Million a day or $94 billion a year in the US, which equates to $1500 per family per year; yet only $1 per family per year is invested in prevention. But, child abuse is a preventable tragedy- that's why it's so important to provide prevention programs to stop the hurt before it starts, and to provide parenting education, and specialized counseling for children who have been abused, so the healing and hope can begin.
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