America's dirty secret -- record-breaking child-abuse

Every five hours, abuse and neglect claims the life of a child in the United States. In 2009, an estimated 1,770 children were killed as a result of these factors. However, a newly released Congressional report suggests the actual number could be closer to 2,500. Of all the world's industrialized countries, the US has by far the worst record of child abuse.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Throughout the industrialized world 66 children under the age of 15 will die each week as the result of physical abuse or neglect. Of those 66 children, 27 will be American -- the highest percentage out of all the other nations.

Approximately 75 percent of the children who die as a result of abuse and neglect are under the age of four, and half are under the age of one.

Statistics from UNICEF place the United States on the same level as Mexico when it comes to child fatalities as a result of mistreatment.

A recent evaluation comparing Texas with Vermont provides some insight to why the problem is so widespread in America. In Texas, a state with one of the worst child abuse records in the union, taxes are low and services are stretched thin. Compared to Vermont, where state taxes are higher in child services are more robust, children have a far greater risk of death from abuse or neglect in Texas than they do in Vermont. It's believed that in conservative states like Texas, the overarching less government, hands-off approach to families is costing lives.

Unfortunately, as states and municipalities cut back on child care workers and investigators, the federal government is still yet to take concrete steps to develop a comprehensive program to protect children in all 50 states.

However some preliminary steps have been taken. At a congressional hearing last July, experts testified that children need to receive more attention from the system. Specifically, the programs that are successful in other countries should be adopted in the US. In other countries, children enjoy child care, universal health insurance, preschool, parental leave from work, and in certain cases visiting nurses. It's believed that adopting some or all of these practices will have a significant impact on the death rate of children in the US.

Young families and young children are at particular risk and need the most attention according to experts. Often, young parents are poorly equipped to deal with the challenges of child care and if they live in poverty they are even more likely to neglect or abuse their children for a variety of reasons.

The need for action is great. Statistics also show that children who are themselves victims of abuse or neglect are 74 times more likely to commit crimes, and six times more likely to abuse their own children.

For a nation as prosperous as America, despite its ongoing economic woes, it is unconscionable that children should suffer from abuse or neglect. It is even more disturbing that despite decades of affluence and world leadership, the US government is still yet to take steps to provide comprehensive care for all children.

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Until each and every American citizen realizes that they have a duty to ensure the well-being of protection of society's children, the future for America's kids, and even its adults, is dim indeed.

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