Child Maltreatment Prevention
Child maltreatment includes all types of abuse and neglect of a child under the age of 18 by a parent, caregiver, or another person in a custodial role (e.g., clergy, coach, teacher). There are four common types of abuse:
- Physical Abuse
- Sexual Abuse
- Emotional Abuse
- Neglect
CDC’s research and programs work to understand the problem of child maltreatment and prevent it before it begins.
Data & Statistics
- More than 740,000 children and youth are treated in hospital emergency departments as a result of violence each year—that’s more than 84 every hour.2
- The total lifetime cost of child maltreatment is $124 billion each year.1
- More than 3 million reports of child maltreatment are received by state and local agencies each year—that’s nearly 6 reports every minute.3
In The Spotlight
- Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma: Recommended Definitions for Public Health Surveillance and Research
- Read our Director's View Blog
- Economic Cost of Child Abuse
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study
- Public Health Leadership Initiative
- Preventing Child Abuse Within Youth-serving Organizations
- Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome
- Injury Center Priority: Preventing Child Maltreatment
Popular Publications & Articles
- Child Maltreatment: Facts at a Glance
This fact sheet proves up-to-date data and statistics on child maltreatment. - Child Maltreatment Surveillance
Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements - Preventing Child Maltreatment: Program Activities Guide
- Understanding Child Maltreatment
This fact sheet provides a basic overview of child maltreatment. It is intended for the general public.
Child Maltreatment Topics
References
- Fang X, Brown DS, Florence C, Mercy J. The economic burden of child maltreatment in the United States and implications for prevention. Child Abuse and Neglect. January 2012.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. United States, Assault all injury causes nonfatal injuries and rates per 100,000, all races, both sexes, ages 0 to 24. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online] (2008) [accessed 2011 Dec 7]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families. Child Maltreatment 2008: Summary [online]. Washington (DC): Government Printing Office; 2010. [accessed 2011 Nov 1]. Available from: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm08/summary.htm
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- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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