Physical Child Abuse Statistics

Physical child abuse statistics are difficult to determine. Though hospitals do their duty by reporting child abuse and social workers investigate the reported allegations, thousands of children are abused behind closed doors.

When severe injuries do occur, the diagnosis of "battered child" is ofen missed or denied. Even child and youth homicides are not clearly represented. "The numbers of child abuse deaths in Canada are under-reported--the result of, among other things, non-existent national standards and death review mechanisms" (Valpy, 1996, p. D1¹).

In 2005, many incidents' of physical child abuse continue to go unreported, in spite of Canada's duty to report law. Duty to report provides more details.

  A study in 2001 on physical child abuse statistics, done by Trocme, Nico, & Wolfe² found:

  An estimated 135,573 child maltreatment investigations by Social Service Agencies were conducted in Canada in 1998. 45% of these reports were substantiated (p.11).

  Physical abuse accounted for 31% of all investigations made to child welfare agencies in Canada in 1998 (p.12).

  65% of investigations of physical abuse substantiated by Child Welfare Agencies involved inappropriate punishment (p.12).

  Physical child abuse was committed largely by biological parents: fathers were alleged perpetrators in 46% of substantiated cases of physical child abuse--mothers, 43% (p.20).

  The highest proportions of substantiated physical child abuse cases were in the adolescent age group: boys, 22% and girls, 18% (p.11).

  Canadian physical child abuse statistics reflect that an average of about 100 child homicides are documented by the police each year across the country (Fitzgerald, 1996, pp. 1-13³).

  From 1974 to 2000, 63% of the homicides of children/youth were committed by family members and 37% were committed by non-family members; this proportion was constant regardless of the victim's gender. Of the non-family member perpetrators: 37% were casual acquaintances, 27% strangers, and 20% close friends (Statistics Canada, 2002⁴).

  The central issue in mistreatment is the misuse of power (Garbarino & Gilliam, 1988, p. 32⁵).

  Parents abused in childhood were significantly more likely to abuse their children: this stydy found a 23% rate of inter-gnerational transmission (Pears & Capaldi, 2001, pp. 1439-1461⁶).

My parents confirmed the physical child abuse statistics that show the cycle of abuse all too often continues from one generation to another. Though they did better than their parents did, using a belt instead of a bullwhip, they perpetuated the abuse. My story isn't all that uncommon. There are millions of us child abuse survivors in North America. I've written a book of my experiences. Check it out at child abuse story.

  The breakdown of perpetrators of physical assaults on children and youth as reported to police in Canada in the year 2000 were: 53% acquaintances, 21% family members, and 20% strangers (Statistics Canada, 2002⁷).

  School personnel referred 35% of all physical abuse investigations, 39% of which were substantiated (Trocme & MacLauren et al., 2001, p. 93⁸).

Are you looking for more child abuse statistics and facts?
If so, check out these pages on this site:

Child Abuse Statistics	Sexual Abuse
Emotional Abuse Statistics	Sexual Abuse Definition
Physical Abuse Statistics	Sexual Abuse Effects
Child Neglect Statistics	Sexual Abuse Victims
Sexual Abuse Statistics	Male Victims
History of Abuse	Female Victims
Emotional Abuse Types	Victims with Disability
Emotional Abuse Signs	Sexual Abuse Disclosures
Emotional Abuse Effects	Male Sex Offenders
Bullying	Female Sex Offenders
Physical Abuse Signs	Child Sex Offenders
Abuse & Discipline	Adolescent Sex Offenders
Physical Abuse Effects	Incestuous Sex Offenders
Child Neglect	Internet Sex Offenders
Child Neglect Signs	Abuse Intervention
Child Neglect Effects	Abuse Prevention
Poverty & Child Neglect

Child abuse information pages on this site:

Abuse Headlines	History of Abuse
Sexual Abuse Signs	Child Abuse Stats
Sexual Abuse Effects	Emotional Abuse
Sexual Abuse Stats	Emotional Abuse Types
Sexual Abuse Victims	Emotional Abuse Signs
Male Victims	Emotional Abuse Effects
Female Victims	Bullying
Victims w/ Disability	Emotional Abuse Stats
Sexual Abuse Disclosures	Physical Abuse
Sex Offenders	Physical Abuse Signs
Male Sex Offenders	Abuse & Discipline
Female Sex Offenders	Physical Abuse Effects
Child Sex Offenders	Physical Abuse Stats
Adolescent Sex Offenders	Child Neglect
Incestuous Sex Offenders	Child Neglect Signs
Internet Sex Offenders	Child Neglect Effects
Child Abuse Law	Child Neglect Stats
Age of Majority	Poverty & Neglect
Duty to Report	Sexual Abuse
Abuse Intervention	Sexual Abuse Defined
Abuse Prevention

Physical Child Abuse Statistics

1 Valpy, M.(1996, August 3). Suffer the murdered babies. The Globe and Mail, D1, D5.

2 Trocme, N. & Wolfe, D. (2001). Child maltreatment in Canada: Canadian incidence study of reported child abuse and neglect: Selected results. Ottawa: National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Health Canada.

3 Fitzgerald, R. (1996). Assaults against children and youth in the family. Statistics Canada Catalogue No. 85-002-xpe 17. Ottawa: Government of Canada.

4 Statistics Canada. (2002). Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile 2002. Catalogue no. 85-224-xie. Ottawa: Government of Canada.

5 Garbarino, J. & Gilliam, G. (1988). Understanding abusive families. Toronto: Lexington Books.

6 Pears, K. & Capaldi, D. (2001). Inter-generational transmission of abuse: A two-generational prospective study of an at-risk sample. Child Abuse and Neglect, 25 (11), 1439-1461.

7 Statistics Canada. (2002). Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile 2002. Catalogue no. 85-224-xie. Ottawa: Government of Canada.

8 Trocme, N. & MacLauren, B. et al. (2001). Canadian incidence study of reported child abuse and neglect: Final report. Ottawa: National Clearinghouse on Family Violence.