STATISTICS: CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, CALENDAR YEAR 2004

In Georgia:

• 101,563 reports were made to the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS), 16% of these reports were screened out and not entered into the data system or investigated by DFCS

• 85,562 of these reports were entered into the system

• 30,951 (36%) of the entered reports were substantiated, representing 51,717 child victims

• 88% of child maltreatment occurred in the victim’s home

• 83% of the maltreaters were the child’s biological parent

• 13% of the maltreaters were a non-biological parent, other relative, or live-in boyfriend or girlfriend of the parent

• 81% of the substantiated incidents of child abuse are neglect

• 10% of the substantiated abuse are physical abuse

• 4% of the substantiated abuse are sexual abuse

• 10% of victims are under the age of one year

• 19% of victims are age 1 to 3 years

• 19% of victims are age 4-6 years

(Source: Ga. Department of Human Resources, Division of Family and Children Services)

Georgia’s 2004 rate of substantiated victims of child abuse is 22.5 per 1000 children.

More details and individual county statistics for Georgia can be found by going to:
www.dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov , DFCS 2004 Statistical Information, click “more”, then select “Protective Services Data Systems Annual Reports”

Nationally

• $94 billion: the estimated annual cost resulting from child abuse and neglect (Source: Prevent Child Abuse America, 2001)

• More than 4 children die each day as a result of child abuse in the home

• 78.7% of the children who die are younger than four years of age

• 906,000 children were victims of substantiated abuse and neglect in 2003 (Source: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services)
  

More national data about the welfare of children and the incidence of child abuse is available at http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/ and http://www.aecf.org/kidscount/