April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and this week, lawmakers and others from around the state gathered at the Capitol to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect in Oklahoma. Flags were placed on the south side of the building to represent the 60 children who died from abuse in 2014 in Oklahoma.
Child abuse and neglect statistics are rising in Oklahoma. Research shows that in addition to having a significant impact on children’s health and well-being, abuse and neglect have also been linked to poor educational and cognitive development, physical aggression, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, juvenile or adult criminal behavior and other associated impairments later in life. It’s no surprise the direct cost to society of child maltreatment is estimated to be well over $9 billion annually when accounting for public assistance, child protection, criminal justice, and behavioral health and education systems at the local, state and federal levels.
In the four counties that comprise Senate District 1, there were 361 substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect in 2013. Statewide, there were over 65,000 families reported to the Department of Human Services and in 11,418 cases, the allegations were found to be substantiated. These numbers are concerning when you consider 12.2 children out of every 1,000 in the state are being subjected to abuse and neglect in some form.
The most notable risk factors for children are age, race and disabilities. Many studies show that the younger a child is, the greater the risk for maltreatment. Children with physical, cognitive or emotional disabilities also are abused at higher rates. Multiple factors contribute to those who abuse or neglect children, including age and education level of the parent or caregiver, as well as substance abuse habits and mental illness history. Marital conflict and domestic violence in the home also play a significant role in abuse cases. The family structure, parental histories and the generational cycles of abuse are all contributing factors to the risk of abuse and neglect in Oklahoma.
According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, parents or guardians who exhibit certain protective factors that work together are at lower risk of inflicting abuse or neglect.
Senate Minutes by Senator Charles Wyrick, child abuse and neglect in Oklahoma
Nurturing and attachment
Parental knowledge of child and youth development
Parental commitment
Social connections
Steadfast support for parents
Positive social and emotional development
Prevention starts with each of us if we’re going to break the cycle of abuse in Oklahoma. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, please call the 24-hour Oklahoma Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-522-3511 immediately.
As always, I welcome your comments and concerns about state government. Please feel free to contact me by writing to Senator Charles Wyrick at the State Capitol, Room 523, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105 or you can call me at (405) 521-5561.
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