In 2006:

• There were 3.3 million reports of child abuse and neglect in the United States involving 6 million children.

• More than 900,000 children were confirmed victims of abuse or neglect.
  • 64.1 percent suffered neglect.
  • 16 percent were physically abused.
  • 8.8 percent were sexually abused.
  • 6.6 percent experienced emotional maltreatment.
• More than 1,500 children died from maltreatment.

• The national rate of child fatalities rose steadily from 1999 to 2006, from 1.62/100,000 to 2.04/100,000.

• While it is often assumed that children who die from maltreatment have been physically assaulted, data reveals that more than one-third die from neglect.

• Young children are particularly vulnerable. Almost half of the children who die from maltreatment every year are under one year of age. More than three-quarters are under four years of age.

Learn More

• Learn about the role of public child welfare systems in confronting abuse and neglect — and how they often fail the children they’re supposed to protect.
• Find out how Children’s Rights confronts systems that fail abused and neglected children child welfare reform campaigns and policy advocacy.