HOW TO CRUSH KID MIN(istry):
Understanding Child Abuse
The Statistics are Staggering
Approximately 5 children die every day because of child abuse.
1 out of 3 girls and 1 out of 5 boys will be sexually abused before they reach age 18.
90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way. 68% are abused by a family member.
Most children become victims of abuse and neglect at 18 months or younger.
In 2010, 1,537 children died of abuse or neglect. 79.4% were under the age of 4 and 47.7% were under the age of 1.
Boys (48.5%) and girls (51.2%) become victims at nearly the same rate.
3.6 million cases of child abuse are reported every year in the U.S.
Abused and neglected children are 11 times more likely to engage in criminal behavior as an adult.
About 80% of 21-year-olds who were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.
14% of all men and 36% of all women in prison were abused as children.
Abused children are less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs. They’re also 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.
For every incident of child abuse or neglect that’s reported, an estimated two incidents go unreported.
Child abuse occurs across all socioeconomic levels, ethnic and cultural lines, and religions and education levels.
Neglect, the most widespread form of child abuse, makes up more than 59% of abuse cases.
Consequences of abuse
Victims of child abuse often struggle with the emotional and spiritual effects of this sin for the rest of their lives. Sadly, child abuse victims are themselves at higher risk of inflicting the abuse on other children.
The lifelong damage caused by child abuse is devastating. Those working in ministries have a tremendous opportunity to protect children, but many don't know the signs of abuse because they’ve never been properly trained.
With less than 38% of child victims disclosing they’ve been sexually abused, it’s critical training is taken seriously by adults.
This is a tough but important topic to tackle. Many times churches take the “not my church” stance only to find out too late that it can indeed happen at your church.
By taking action and educating our volunteers, staff, and ministry leaders, we will be better able to prevent abuse from occurring and feel better equipped to spot the signs of abuse and take the appropriate next steps.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be touching on some key principles of child abuse prevention, including:
Understanding what child abuse is and is not
Rules & boundaries we have to keep kids safe
Rules & boundaries we have to keep volunteers safe from false allegations
Policies we have in place to help prevent child abusers from having access to our kids
and when and how to report suspected abuse.
If at any point you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out!