America's child death shame

America's child death shame

Why is the problem of violence against children so much more acute in the US than anywhere else in the industrialised world, asks Michael Petit, President of Every Child Matters.

Over the past 10 years, more than 20,000 American children are believed to have been killed in their own homes by family members. That is nearly four times the number of US soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The child maltreatment death rate in the US is triple Canada's and 11 times that of Italy. Millions of children are reported as abused and neglected every year. Why is that?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15193530

Every five hours a child dies from abuse or neglect in the US.

The latest government figures show an estimated 1,770 children were killed as a result of maltreatment in 2009.

A recent congressional report concludes the real number could be nearer 2,500.

In fact, America has the worst child abuse record in the industrialised world. Why?

more at the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15288865

IMO It's the only country in the world where material things are more important than family. Only country where parents are failing to raise their own children and the necessary bonds are never fully and completely formed.

Shadow205 said:

Every five hours a child dies from abuse or neglect in the US.

The latest government figures show an estimated 1,770 children were killed as a result of maltreatment in 2009.

A recent congressional report concludes the real number could be nearer 2,500.

In fact, America has the worst child abuse record in the industrialised world. Why?

more at the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15288865

Click to expand...

I'd like to see this broken down to race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status.

Trident said:

I'd like to see this broken down to race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status.

Click to expand...

Why:waitasec: I'm rather curious..........

IMO it has a lot to do with our welfare system.We are the only country that rewards pregnancy with free food,housing ,medical care and a monthly check.Some people are having children they really do not want but have them instead for the income they bring.Also having a baby with a man they are dating for just a few months to try to keep the relationship together.Most still break up then add boyfriend of the month to their household whether it is good for the children or not.Revolving relationships because mommy wants a man in her bed.Welfare is suppose to give a hand up not be a hand out but most use it as a way of life.Woman who use pregnancy within a few short months of dating someone also are making fathers out of men who are not ready to be fathers.IMO they get resentful when they are lied to about birth control then taken to court for child support.Some men see these woman as using their baby for a support check,they never bond with their children because of being tricked into fatherhood.It seems IMO it does take 2 to make a baby but honestly if a woman wants to get pregnant all she has to do is skip the pill.Before I get tomatoes thrown at me My grandson's mom had first child after dating that daddy for 2 months and stopped taking the pill.My son she dated 6 months ,they broke up then made up she was pregnant in 1 month.After they broke up for good she dated baby daddy#3.After 3 months she was pregnant.?Her mom found 2 pregnancy test strips that were neg.So she was trying to get pregnant on purpose.She gets welfare,food stamps,child support,and now due to rental assistance she finally has an apt.Most of her friends are the same way.
She is white came from middle class home in Trenton ,both parents raised her,she is 26 mom to 3 kids.Graduated high school,quit college shy st 3 credits to as degree.Added to show back ground.

I think it has more to do with how we value individualism in our society. In other cultures, extended families live together more and the family unit is more respected. I do realize that I'm adhering to stereotypes here and that not everyone falls into these stereotypes.

But in our country, you're seen as a failure if you don't move out of your parents' home after high school or at the latest college or early 20s. God forbid you live at home with a BF/GF/husband/wife and a baby or two. However, that is the norm in many other countries.

We learn from an early age here in the US how to look out for numero uno, whereas in other countries there is more of a group mentality, usually tied to the family or extended family unit. With such a self-centric way of thinking, there are obviously going to be problems when needing to care for children - which is one of the most selfless and thankless tasks on the planet.

Now for the personal anecdote: when I was growing up, there was nothing I wanted more than to get married and be a mother. I loved children, even as a child. But in my family, I knew it was expected that I would go to college and have a career first. So I did. Then I went on to graduate school - a standard that I set for myself because of the people that I had grown up with and what we all knew we needed to do to be "successful" and to "make our parents proud." I put all relationships on the back burner. After meeting my husband, we dated for over 7 years before we finally got married. Then we tried having children... We had fertility issues and I was lucky to carry one (and only one) baby to term because I was hit with early menopause in my 30s. I was crushed. I looked back on all those years spent chasing those symbols of success, only to have the one thing I always wanted - a house full of children - elude me.

I share this because in the atmosphere I grew up in, I feel that I would not have been supported if I had put having a family above academic goals. This may seem totally unrelated to the subject of this thread, but it's not. No matter what the reason - college, grad school, working, partying, goofing off, traveling - our culture is more 'me, me, me'. And when someone young talks of wanting a family, it becomes more of 'oh you don't need that now! You need time for yourself'. So when someone does get pregnant young - whether married or not - there's already a preconceived notion that it's an inconvenience rather than a blessing and celebration.

I do realize there are many other reasons also, but I just wanted to throw out my two cents...

What a travesty. I think poverty should be at the head of the list... money problems are the base of most stress, imo.