Trends in US Army child maltreatment reports: 1990–2004
Date
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Child Abuse Review
Abstract
We present the victim rates and severity of child maltreatment in US
Army families by the sex of the child and parent from 1990–2004.
Neglect rates decreased from a high point in 1991 to a low in 2000, but
by 2004 the rates had increased to about the 1991 level. During two
large-scale deployments of the US Army to the Middle East (1991 and
2002–2004), the rates of neglect increased. Neglect rates were highest
for the youngest children and decreased as age increased. Physical
abuse rates decreased from 1990–2004, but the decline was slowed
during 2001–04. Physical abuse was more severe by male offenders.
Emotional abuse showed wide fluctuations in rates. Emotional abuse
rates were similar for boys and girls up to age 11, but the rates for older
girls were higher. Sexual abuse had the lowest rates throughout the
time of this report, decreasing from about 0.5/1000 to about 0.1/1000.
The rates of physical abuse and neglect were generally higher for boys
than for girls up to the teenage years when the rates reversed. Male
offenders were more likely to maltreat children (even excluding sexual
abuse) than were female offenders and offenders of both sexes were
more likely to abuse male children. We provide suggestions for
practice, prevention and research in child maltreatment.
Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
child abuse, neglect, military, maltreatment
Citation
McCarroll, J. E., Fan, Z., Newby, J. H., & Ursano, R. J. (2008). Trends in US Army child maltreatment reports: 1990–2004. Child Abuse Review, 17(2), 108-118