Abuse against children can come in the form of physical, emotional, sexual, verbal, and neglect.

Child Abuse Statistics

• A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds


• Almost five children die every day as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4.


• It is estimated that between 60-85% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates.


• 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way; 68% are abused by family members.


• Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education.


• 31% percent of women in prison in the United States were abused as children.


• 60% of people in drug rehabilitation centers report being abused or neglected as children.


• Approximately 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children.


• Approximately 80% of 21 year olds that were abused as children, met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.


• The estimated annual cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2007 is $104 billion.


• Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.


• Children who experience child abuse & neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult, and 30% more likely to commit violent crime.


• Nearly two-thirds of people in treatment for drug abuse reported being abused as children.

Annually, 29% of known female rape victims in America are younger than 11 years of age; however, at least 61% of rapes are never reported to the police. In America, at least 20% of adult women were sexually abused as children. Little girls are sexually abused at three times the rate of little boys in America. Most child victims know and trust their abusers.

Sexual abuse is most likely to cause long-term harm if it is perpetrated by a father or father figure; 60% of child molesters are the father or the father-figure. In America, incest constitutes one-third to one-half of the sexual abuse of girls; however, incest victims are far less likely to report than non-incest victims. Girls are sexually abused at much higher rates than boys by family members, acquaintances, and strangers alike.

If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected please report it; reports can be done anonymously. Child abuse can be reported 7 days/24 hours by calling the Missouri Children’s Services Hotline at 1-800-392-3738 or your local law enforcement agency.