Nearly 3 million reports of child abuse are made annually.

More than 3 out of every 4 children who die every day are under 4 years old.

One third of abused and neglected children will later
abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse.

An estimated 906,000 children are victims of abuse and neglect.

Signs of Abuse and Neglect *Obvious malnutrition *Dirty hair and body/offensive body odor *Habitually dressed in torn and dirty clothes *Obvious fatigue and listlessness *Unattended for long periods of time *In need of glasses, dental care, or other medicical attention *Begs for or steals food *Frequently absent or late for school *Abnormally short or underweight for age, Physical Abuse *Frequent injuries such as bruises, cuts, black eyes, or burns, especially when the child cannot adequately explain the cause *Frequent complaints of pain without obvious injury *Burns or bruises in an unusual pattern that may indicate a human bite, cigarette burns, or the use of an instrument on the face, arms or palms *Lack of reaction to pain *Fear of going home or seeing a parent *Injuries that appear after the child has not been seen for several days *Unseasonable clothes that may hide injuries to the arms or legs *Reluctant about sitting down; unable to hold a pencil *Evidence of poor self concept *Frequently absent or late for school without reasonable explanation *Complaints about beatings or other harsh treatment *Chronic runaway- Sexual Abuse *Physical signs of sexually transmitted disease *Evidence of injury to the genital area *Pregnancy in a young girl *Difficulty in sitting or walking *Extreme fear of being alone with members of the opposite sex *Exhibits sexually suggestive or promiscuous behavior *Knowledgeable about sexual relations *Complains of pain or itching in genital area *Unusual odors from genital area *Drawings or writings with strong, often bizarre sexual theme *Suicide attempts *Poor peer relations-emotional abuse *Speech disorders *Habit disorders *Conduct disorders *Developmental lags *Delinquent behavior *Overly adaptive behavior *Substance abuse (c)Texas Department of Family and Protective Services