"We will have met success when every child has access to the services of an accredited Children's Advocacy Center".

The State of Virginia Statistics

During the 2005 fiscal year, the Virginia Department of Social Services compiled 30,507 completed reports of suspected child abuse and neglect, and 45,078 children were investigated for allegations of abuse and neglect.  Of these 45,078 children, 7,011 were in reports with Founded dispositions.  Family Assessment responses involved 28,036 children of the 45,078 total. 

Twenty-six (26) children died as a result of child abuse and neglect between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005.

New statistical data reporting system for Virginia CACs was implemented in 2005.  Ten (10) operating CACs served 1,022 victims of child abuse and neglect during the six-month reporting period of July 1, 2005-December 30, 2005.  The highest age range of victims were ages 0-6 years (43%); sexual abuse was the highest (61.59%) presenting abuse or neglect problem; and the alleged abusers were most often parents or stepparents (45.74%).  The latest statistical report in its entirety can be found in the statistics section (Statistics).

On an average day in Virginia, more than 18 children are found to be abused or neglected based on data from the 2005 Virginia KIDS COUNT Data Book.

To Help Stop Child Abuse in Virginia

Call the Virginia Hotline to Report Suspected Child Abuse

Within Virginia the number is 800-552-7096

Outside Virginia the number is 804-786-8536

Or Call Your Local Department of Social Services or Law Enforcement

 

NATIONWIDE STATISTICS

According to a 2004 report from United States Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families:

• Approximately 872,000 children were found to be victims of child maltreatment
   

• An estimated 1,490 children died in 2004 as a result of child abuse or neglect; 79% of children who were killed were younger than 4 years old
   

• Children ages birth to 3 years had the highest rates of victimization at 16.1 per 1,000 children
   

• Being abused or neglected as a child increases the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile by 53% and the likelihood of arrest for a violent crime as an adult by 38%

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study from the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 1998 that victims of childhood abuse and neglect are at increased risk for smoking, alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, eating disorders, suicide attempts, multiple sexual partners, and severe obesity.

In 2005, Children’s Advocacy Centers nationwide provided services to more than 160,000 children, the majority being seen for allegations of child sexual abuse, as compiled and reported by National Children’s Alliance.  As of June, 2006 there are 376 fully accredited/accreditation eligible CACs across the United States, 236 Associate Member CACs, and 1 International Member (Canada).

New research from the University of New Hampshire’s Crimes Against Children Research Center has shown that Children’s Advocacy Centers are successful in doing just what they were designed to do, namely coordinating investigations of child abuse by bringing police, child protection, medical and mental health professionals together to help families in a child-friendly environment.  In addition, the study, The multi-site Evaluation of CACs, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, found children at CACs were more likely to get medical examinations and referrals to mental health services, and parents were more satisfied with the job investigators are doing.

A separate study on the Economic Impact of Child Maltreatment conducted by the National Children’s Advocacy Center in partnership with National Children’s Alliance, compared the child abuse investigative costs in a community with a traditional child protection system/law enforcement model versus a community using the CAC model.  The cost benefit analysis found that the cost savings per case using the CAC model was $1,318.60. 

The implication for cost saving in Virginia based on the number of new children case investigations served by ten (10) CACs during the last six months of 2005 (doubled to reflect an entire year) is shown:

     2,044  # of new child victims served based on 6 months’ statistics (doubled)

 x $1,318.60  cost savings per case

 $2,695,218.40  Total cost savings in Virginia for new abuse cases handled by 10 CACs

These findings validate the contributions of Children’s Advocacy Centers for the victims’ recovery and well-being, and communities now have a basis for economic analysis in their jurisdiction of the CAC model of response to child abuse.