Although child abuse has gone on as long as there has been children, child protection agencies only came about in the U.S. in 1875 with the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. However, legislation on the matter has been around since 1642. Since then, great strides have been made in the effort to protect abused and neglected children. New organizations, such as Child Help, have created programs to help children in need. Organizations such as this not only provide a hotline to report child maltreatment, but also things such as foster care and counseling for children who have been abused. Despite the efforts that child help organizations are undertaking, the numbers of child abuse victims have risen by 70,000 between 1999 and 2005. Statistics on this matter aren’t completely conclusive because some abuse and neglect cases are never reported. Hopefully, these statistics mean that more people are coming forward to assist maltreated children rather than turn a blind eye, as was done in the past, and not that more children are being abused per year.

 

-Suzannah Kaiser