Shocking Australian Abuse Report
CHILD abuse has reached tragic new levels with Australian children suffering abuse on average every couple of minutes.
A study has found almost a quarter of a million reports of suspected child abuse and neglect were made to state authorities in 2003.
Child advocates described the problem as an Australian pandemic and said the real figures would be much higher if non-reported cases were able to be measured.
While children of all ages are affected, one of the most chilling findings is that babies and young children - the most vulnerable and defenceless members of society - are among the most abused.
The report, Childhood Abused, commissioned by the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, uncovered 219,000 reports of neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse in 2003.
That is more than 21,000 more reports than the previous year, and it means there was one report of abuse for every 25 children in the country.
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Ninemsn
I just don’t know what to write in response to these statistics - In the coming years, that as these children enter teenage lives and adulthood we will be faced with more and more need for services and treatment for people who are growing up with a distorted and altered picture of sexuality.
Thank God for pastors like Alan
Meyer who have developed resource and teaching to help every person understand and main a healthy sexuality. It will be much needed in the years to come.
