Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

14% of all men and 36% of all women in prison were abused as children.

Abused children are less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs. They’re also 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

Modern Slavery News Round-Up

South Sudan sides 'recruit 9,000 children to fight' More than 9,000 child soldiers have been fighting in South Sudan's brutal civil war, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay has said. Both the army and rebel forces had recruited the children, she said. Ms Pillay said South Sudan faced the threat of a famine, but there was an "apparent lack of concern" on the part of its leaders. She was speaking at the end of a visit to South Sudan, where the conflict has displaced about a million people.

  Nigeria girls' abduction: Protest march in Abuja
Hundreds of mainly women protesters have marched through the Nigerian capital, Abuja, to press for the release of 230 schoolgirls abducted by militants two weeks ago. The government should, if necessary, negotiate with their captors to secure their release, a protester said. The Islamist group Boko Haram has been blamed for abducting the girls from their school in Chibok, Borno state. Boko Haram has not yet made any response to the accusation. The group, whose name means "Western education is forbidden" in the local Hausa language, has staged a wave of attacks in northern Nigeria in recent years, with an estimated 1,500 killed in the violence and subsequent security crackdown this year alone.

Sex trafficking in your backyard
Minnesota brings many things to mind — open prairies, 10,000 lakes and Midwestern values. Yet even in America's heartland, the most wretched of crimes, human trafficking, is a growing menace. Last year, the FBI identified Minnesota as one of the nation's 13 largest centers for child sex trafficking. The Women's Funding Network says that monthly, about 200 adolescents are sold for sex there through the Internet and escort services. In 2011, Minnesota courts had nearly 400 trafficking-related convictions.

Human trafficking victim shares her story
Amanda Dobyns said her mother traded her for drugs when she was younger. “She owed her drug dealer several thousand dollars and he told her you can either give me your daughter or pay me the money you owe me,” Dobyns said. It happened when Dobyns was only 13 years old. “Anytime she wanted a fix she would just trade me to him and get her drugs and he and multiple men would rape me,” Dobyns said.

  New Hampshire: Human trafficking bill moves to House The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee unanimously passed a comprehensive human trafficking bill Tuesday, setting the stage for floor action next week. The bill is considered a significant step forward for New Hampshire, which has been lagging behind other states in establishing laws against those who engage in sex and labor trafficking. "This bill contains big advancements that are super important," said Amanda Grady Sexton, public policy director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. In a national ranking of state sex trafficking laws, the national anti-trafficking organization Polaris Project placed New Hampshire third from the bottom.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

About 80% of 21-year-olds who were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

Abused and neglected children are 11 times more likely to engage in criminal behavior as an adult.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

3.6 million cases of child abuse are reported every year in the U.S.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

Boys (48.5%) and girls (51.2%) become victims at nearly the same rate.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

Approximately 5 children die every day because of child abuse.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

In 2010, 1,537 children died of abuse or neglect.
79.4% were under the age of 4 and 47.7% were under the age of 1.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

Most children become victims of abuse and neglect at 18 months or younger.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way.
68% are abused by a family member.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Fact of the Day

1 out of 3 girls and 1 out of 5 boys will be sexually abused before they reach age 18.

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Source for this month's facts:
DoSomething.org, (2014). 11 facts about child abuse. Retrieved from website: https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month, 2014

During the month of April, in honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, people across the country come together to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect prevention (PCAV, 2014, n.p.). In the United States of America, “every child should have every chance in life, every chance at happiness, and every chance at success” (Obama, 2014, n.p.). Yet tragically, hundreds of thousands of young Americans “shoulder the burden of abuse or neglect” (Obama, 2014, n.p.). During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, President Obama calls the nation to “strengthen our resolve to give every young person the security, opportunity, and bright future they deserve” (Obama, 2014, n.p.).

Without question, the entire nation has a role to play in preventing child abuse and neglect, as well as in helping young victims recover. According to President Obama (2014):

From parents and guardians to educators and community leaders, each of us can help carve out safe places for young people to build their confidence and pursue their dreams. I also encourage Americans to be aware of warning signs of child abuse and neglect, including sudden changes in behavior or school performance, untreated physical or medical issues, lack of adult supervision, and constant alertness, as though preparing for something bad to happen. To learn more about how you can prevent child abuse, visit https://www.childwelfare.gov/Preventing/. (n.p.)

In Virginia, PCAV annually spearheads Child Abuse Prevention Month activities to raise awareness and encourage statewide support for the initiative. This year’s PCAV theme is “Look. Listen. Respond” (PCAV, 2014, n.p.). In partnership with the Virginia Department of Social Services, PCAV implements a Child Abuse Prevention Month campaign that includes “a Proclamation from the Governor, the Child Abuse Prevention Month Packet, and an Annual Conference” (PCAV, 2014, n.p.). In addition to these campaigns, PCAV also spearheads other activities throughout the month, such as: Pinwheels for Prevention and Wear Blue Day (PCAV, 2014, n.p.).

“There are numerous ways to participate in raising awareness of child abuse and neglect prevention,” states PCAV, which hosts a calendar of events and activities for National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Those interested in playing a hands-on role in the campaign should visit the following site: http://pcav.org/events/.

“Our Nation thrives when we recognize that we all have a stake in each other” (Obama, 2014, n.p.). This month and throughout the year, President Obama urges: “Let us come together -- as families, communities, and Americans -- to ensure every child can pursue their dreams in a safe and loving home” (Obama, 2014, n.p.).

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Reference

Obama, B. The White House, Office of the Press Secretary. (2014). Presidential proclamation: National child abuse prevention month, 2014. Retrieved from USA.gov website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/03/31/presidential-proclamation-national-child-abuse-prevention-month-2014.

Prevent Child Abuse Virginia, (2014). 2014 child abuse prevention month. Retrieved from website: http://pcav.org/child-abuse-prevention-month-2/.

Modern Slavery News Round-up

Human Trafficking Bill Goes to State Committee
According to the Florida Current, HB 7141 would set the framework for a screening and assessment process for possible human trafficking victims and create a team of specially-trained counselors working under the state Department of Children and Families.

Philippine police accuse Italian ambassador of human trafficking and child abuse

Philippine police have detained a vacationing Italian ambassador and filed complaints of human trafficking and child abuse after he was allegedly found in the company of three underage boys at a resort. Police arrested Daniele Bosio, a diplomat based in Turkmenistan, at a water fun park near Manila at the weekend following a tip-off from a local child rights group.

Human trafficking brings shame to humanity, UN Special Rapporteur tells an ecumenical consultation
In an ecumenical consultation held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, called human trafficking a criminal activity, on rapid increase in the world. Ezeilo said that not a single country or entity has yet been able to stop this practice, and the magnitude of this problem is enormous.

Facts: 11 Facts About Human Trafficking

1. Globally, the average cost of a slave is $90.
2. Trafficking primarily involves exploitation which comes in many forms, including: forcing victims into prostitution, subjecting victims to slavery or involuntary servitude and compelling victims to commit sex acts for the purpose of creating pornography.
3. According to some estimates, approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19% involves labor exploitation.
4. There are approximately 20 to 30 million slaves in the world today.
5. According to the U.S. State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year. More than 70% are female and half are children.
6. The average age a teen enters the sex trade in the U.S. is 12 to 14-year-old. Many victims are runaway girls who were sexually abused as children.
7. California harbors 3 of the FBI’s 13 highest child sex trafficking areas on the nation: Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego.
8. The National Human Trafficking Hotline receives more calls from Texas than any other state in the US. 15% of those calls are from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
9. Between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the U.S. each year.
10. Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry (behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking). It reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year. Of that number, $15.5 billion is made in industrialized countries.
11. The International Labour Organization estimates that women and girls represent the largest share of forced labor victims with 11.4 million trafficked victims (55%) compared to 9.5 million (45%) men.