The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed June 4th as ()in 1982 to recognize the 鈥減hysical, mental, and emotional abuse鈥� many of the world鈥檚 children endure. Unfortunately, we even need to have a day to acknowledge such horrific tragedies. According to the every day in America:
- Every 30 seconds during the school year a public school student is corporally punished;
- Every 47 seconds a child is confirmed as abused or neglected;
- Every seven hours a child is killed by abuse or neglect.
Yet, even reading these statistics, we may have become desensitized or rationalize that these realities only exist for particular communities. Stereotypes place such brutality specifically in 鈥渦rban neighborhoods鈥� (often read: Latino and/or Black communities) or low-income areas. However, additional confirm:
- Every 58 seconds during the school year a Latino public school student is corporally punished, every 57 seconds for Black students, and 48 seconds for White students;
- Every day, 402 Latino, 360 Black, and 797 White children are confirmed as abused or neglected;
- Every day, one Latino, one Black, and one White child is killed by abuse or neglect.
The long-term social and health effects of childhood abuse and neglect are poignantly illustrated by the . The study, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and a California HMO, found that f the 17,000+ middle-income subjects had endured at least one of the 鈥渁dverse鈥� categories (i.e. abuse, neglect, divorce, household substance abuse or mental illness). Furthermore, people had experienced four or moretypes, which led to for health conditions such as depression, substance abuse, heart and liver disease.
Luckily, thanks in large part to such empirical evidence as the ACE Study, as a culture we are beginning to understand and to accept that childhood trauma deeply affects our daily lives. We are also increasingly acknowledging how trauma deeply affects adults which, with proper treatment and support, can act as violence prevention in our families and communities.
For instance, a soldier returning home with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and his family can now receive support, whereas this wasn鈥檛 always the case. Actor Patrick Stewart recently eloquently spoke out at about surviving domestic violence as a child of a WWII veteran father who suffered from what was then referred to as 鈥渟hellshock.鈥� Blogger had acknowledged Stewart during a convention panel for his against domestic violence, while also identifying herself as a domestic violence survivor. Stewart鈥檚 emotional reply implored that violence is 鈥渘ever鈥� the answer, and that 鈥渕en can stop domestic violence.鈥�
As adults, we are charged with protecting children. We know this is the 鈥渞ight鈥� thing to do, and yet, we can often get caught up in protecting only 鈥渙ur鈥� children: members of our families, our communities, our schools, and our places of worship. But for children who were born to parents who cannot keep them safe--children who have (to paraphrase ) lost the biological lottery--we must also take responsibility for keeping them safe. All too often, violence remains a 鈥減rivate family matter.鈥�
On this International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, I am making the plea that the United States take a big step forward in keeping all children safe by endorsing the , which only the United States, Somalia, and South Sudan have not ratified. Yes, such documents are often viewed as 鈥渙nly a piece of paper.鈥� However, I believe there is power in taking a public stand as a country, especially when one signature proclaims that the United States supports All children deserve such a vow.
, M.A., project associate at the (JBMTI) at the 妻友社区 (WCW), is also a social scientist in the cultural construction of childhood. As a survivor of childhood sexual exploitation, Price authored a chapter in the textbook, Global Perspectives on Prostitution and Sex Trafficking: Europe, Latin America, North America, and Global (Lexington Books), examining child prostitution through a Relational-Cultural Theory lens. An audio recording of her March 2012 WCW seminar, 鈥淟onging to Belong: Relational Risks and Resilience in U.S. Prostituted Children,鈥� is available online, and a copy of her recent working paper by the same title is available through WCW Publications.