TCP Episode 120 -- April 2022 is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

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Show Notes

White House Proclamation

Goals
** Condemn and combat child abuse – physical, emotional, sexual, and online sexual exploitation
** Heighten awareness of risk factors
** Highlight importance of supporting families
Child abuse occurs at all socioeconomic and educational levels, and in all religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds
Key tool for fighting child abuse is prevention

Child Abuse Statistics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

At least 1 in 7 children have experienced abuse or neglect in the past year
** In 2019, there were 73 million children in U.S.
** In 2019, 1,840 children died from abuse and/or neglect
Long-term economic burden of child abuse and neglect is enormous
** 2015 estimate – $428 billion, comparable to economic costs of strokes and Type 2 diabetes

Risk factors

Risk Factors for Individual Perpetrators
** Caregivers with drug or alcohol issues
** Caregivers with mental health issues, including depression
** Caregivers who don’t understand children’s needs or development
** Caregivers who were abused or neglected as children
** Caregivers who are young or single parents or parents with many children
** Caregivers with low education or income
** Caregivers experiencing high levels of parenting stress and economic stress
** Caregivers who use spanking and other forms of corporal punishment for discipline
** Caregivers in the home who are not a biological parent
** Caregivers with attitudes accepting of or justifying violence or aggression
Risk Factors for Families
** Families that have family members in jail or prison
** Families that are isolated from and not connected to other people (extended family, friends, neighbors)
** Family violence, including relationship violence
** Families with high conflict and negative communication styles
Risk Factors in Communities
** Communities with high rates of violence and crime
** Communities with high rates of poverty and limited educational and economic opportunities
** Communities with high unemployment rates
** Communities with easy access to drugs and alcohol
** Communities where neighbors don’t know or look out for each other and there is low community involvement among residents
** Communities with few community activities for young people
** Communities with unstable housing and where residents move frequently
** Communities where families frequently experience food insecurity

Role of Technology

Number of children using a mobile device has more than doubled in last few years
Parents have legitimate concerns about online safety
“Sad fishing” – Predators search “for kids who seem sad, lonely, or depressed based on their public profiles on a variety of social media platforms.”
“Online sexual exploitation”
** Grooming
** Live streaming
** Consuming child sexual abuse material (#CSAM)
** Coercing and blackmailing children for sexual purposes (“sexploitation”)

Preventative Measures

Child Abuse in General
** Individuals
*** Caregivers who create safe, positive relationships with children
*** Caregivers who practice nurturing parenting skills and provide emotional support
*** Caregivers who can meet basic needs of food, shelter, education, and health services
*** Caregivers who have a college degree or higher and have steady employment
** Families
*** Families with strong social support networks and stable, positive relationships with the people around them
*** Families where caregivers are present and interested in the child
*** Families where caregivers enforce household rules and engage in child monitoring
*** Families with caring adults outside the family who can serve as role models or mentors
** Communities
*** Communities with access to safe, stable housing
*** Communities where families have access to high-quality preschool
*** Communities where families have access to nurturing and safe childcare
*** Communities where families have access to safe, engaging after school programs and activities
*** Communities where families have access to medical care and mental health services
*** Communities where families have access to economic and financial help
*** Communities where adults have work opportunities with family-friendly policies
Online Sexual Abuse
** Familiarize yourself with the apps and online services used by each child and supervise activity
** Open lines of communication
** Acknowledge importance of online interactions for children
** Persistent discussion of online safety over a long period time, beginning early and adjusting to age and maturity of each child
** Clear and reasonable rules regarding online activity, developed in conversation with each child
** Deploy technology to assist in child safety, but don’t expect it to replace adult supervision
** Assist each child in setting and adjusting privacy controls