Child Abuse and Neglect Sourcebook, 6th Ed.

At least 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse or neglect in the past year in the United States according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is likely an underestimate because many cases are unreported. In 2020, 1,750 children died of abuse and neglect in the United States. Child maltreatment could be physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse or exploitation, emotional abuse, parental substance use, or parental abandonment. Child abuse and maltreatment can cause visible bruises, and broken bones, or it can also be invisible, causing deep emotional scars and life-long traumatic experiences leading to mental-health challenges. Children who have been the victims of abuse or neglect can experience alterations in brain chemistry, difficulty with social interaction, physical injuries, and even death.

Child Abuse and Neglect Sourcebook, Sixth Edition provides basic consumer health information about child abuse or neglect and the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of children. It also discusses facts about abusive head trauma, bullying, Munchausen syndrome by proxy, statutory rape, incest trauma, educational neglect, exploitation, long-term consequences of child maltreatment, and the featuring facts about risk factors. The book explains the differences between situations that require legal intervention and those considered to be parental choices, even when controversial. Facts about child protective services (CPS) and interventions by the court system are also included. Information about the prevention initiatives, reporting requirements, legal interventions, child protective services, and therapy options along with information for parents, foster parents, and adult survivors of child abuse are also provided. The volume concludes with a glossary of related terms and a directory that provides additional help and information.

Part One: Child Maltreatment explains the types of intentional actions that U.S. state laws typically recognize as forms of abuse. These include physical abuse, sexual abuse and exploitation, emotional abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Related issues, including bullying and exposure to violence, are also explored. The part concludes with a discussion regarding the physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences of child maltreatment.

Part Two: Physical and Sexual Abuse of Children concerns itself with modes of maltreatment that result from physical actions, including family violence, harsh corporal punishment, abusive head trauma (shaken baby syndrome (SBS)), and Munchausen syndrome by proxy. It also reports on the physical and behavioral indicators of sexual abuse and provides facts about incest and abuse in dating relationships, and it discusses statutory rape laws.

Part Three: Emotional Abuse and Child Neglect provides information about forms of abuse that are generally less visible than physical abuse. These can result from the failure of a parent or guardian to take appropriate action on a child’s behalf—such as refusing to seek medical care or education—or from other behaviors that negatively impact a child’s mental development or psychological well-being. It also discusses types of cyberbullying and digital abuse, its signs, and its impacts on children.

Part Four: Adult Survivors of Child Maltreatment explains the long-term consequences of experiencing maltreatment during childhood, and it discusses the outcomes that may emerge in adulthood. Mental-health issues related to the vestiges of child abuse and post-traumatic stress disorders are also addressed. The link between child abuse and childhood trauma and adult suicide risk and criminality is explored.

Part Five: Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment for Child Maltreatment report on various strategies, laws, and regulations intended to reduce the incidence of child abuse. It explains how child protective services can intervene in suspected abuse cases, and it describes therapy options for children and adults who have been impacted by abuse.

Part Six: Strengthening Parenting Skills and Family Connections describes some of the most common family challenges that place children in dangerous situations, including domestic violence, mental health issues, parental substance abuse, and inappropriate forms of discipline. It provides tips for improving parenting skills and also offers suggestions for parents, and foster and adoptive parents.

Part Seven: Additional Help and Information includes a glossary of terms related to child abuse and child protective services, a state-by-state list of contact information for reporting suspected child maltreatment, and a directory of organizations involved in efforts to end child abuse and heal its effects.