Child abuse comes in many forms. General neglect is the most common and rarely makes the news. But it is very real – and may be happening right next door.

General Neglect- Absence of care, support or supervision.

Physical Abuse- Injuries to children that are not accidental.

Physical Neglect - Not providing children with enough food, clothing, shelter, medical care or, hygiene.

Sexual Abuse - Non-mutual, non-consensual sexual contact, and/or lewd and lavacious acts against children.

Emotional Abuse - Attacking a child’s self esteem, constant criticism, yelling, belittling, insulting, and rejecting and withholding love and support.

Behaviors: Aggressive, disruptive, destructive, shy fearful, withdrawn, doesn't smile, poor peer  

Physical appearance: relationships, lack of bowel or bladder control.
Inadequately dressed for the weather or overdressed, unwashed, torn unwashed or tattered clothing, undernourished, tired, listless, welts, burns, inadequately explained injuries bruises, difficulty walking.

Family Symptoms: Socially isolated family, very controlling authority figures, rigid expectations of child, low self-esteem, overuse of alcohol or drugs.

Emotional abuse: includes constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance.

• • 1 out of every 15 Tulare County children receive a suspected call for child abuse on them in 2019.
  • In 2019 Child Protective Services received over 8,000 calls alleging abuse of over 10,000 children in Tulare County.
  • In 2019 there were 1,045 Tulare County children with a substantiated allegation of child abuse. This equates to 2.86 for every day.
  • Of the 150,000 Tulare County children, 10,000 were involved in a suspected call for child abuse on them in 2019.

• A report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds.

• 80% of children that die from abuse are under the age of 4.
• 30% of abused children will later abuse their own.
• Abused children are 30% more likely to commit violent crime.
• 36% of women in prison were abused as children.
• Studies indicate that the number of fatalities due to child abuse is significantly under counted
• Two thousand (2,000) children die each year in the United States because of abuse.

• 3 million cases/year involving 5 million children are investigated.

• Of these 3 million reports, 686,000 were found to have been abused in 2018.

• On average 4 children die per day due to abuse

Child abusers can be parents, caretakers, friends and neighbors. Any family, regardless of socio-economic status, religion, education, or ethnic background can be child abusers. We must all be aware to help stop the cycle of abuse.

There are many factors behind possible motivations for child abuse, however child abuse by parents and guardians may face these factors that can be mitigated through support and other means:

Lack of preparation or knowledge of critical issues surrounding parenting, financial, or other environmental stressors, difficulty in relationships, depression or other mental health problems.

Lack of understanding a child's developmental stages; unreasonable expectations