Child Victimization in United States
United States
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United States Value:
7.7
Number of children who were victims of substantiated or indicated maltreatment per 1,000 children
Child Victimization in depth:
Appears In:
Child Victimization by State
Number of children who were victims of substantiated or indicated maltreatment per 1,000 children
Child Victimization in
Data from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Children's Bureau, Child Maltreatment Report Series, 2022
<= 4.1
4.2 - 6.2
6.3 - 9.4
9.5 - 12.6
>= 12.7
Child Victimization
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Children's Bureau, Child Maltreatment Report Series, 2022
About Child Victimization
US Value: 7.7
Top State(s): New Jersey: 1.6
Bottom State(s): Massachusetts: 16.5
Definition: Number of children who were victims of substantiated or indicated maltreatment per 1,000 children
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Children's Bureau, Child Maltreatment Report Series, 2022
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Children's Bureau, Child Maltreatment Report Series, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.
Approximately 559,000 children in the United States were affected by maltreatment and child victimization in 2022. Child victimization takes many forms, including sexual, physical and emotional abuse. In 2022, neglect was the most common form of child maltreatment. Most perpetrators are family members or known relatives — only 3.9% of child victimization perpetrators are someone other than the child’s relative.
While short- and long-term consequences may differ by the type of victimization, the negative impact on cognitive development — and subsequent social and emotional development — is consistent. Health outcomes associated with child victimization include increased risk of substance use, conduct disorders, anxiety, depression and being bullied or bullying others, as well as chronic or recurrent illnesses. The social and emotional effects of child victimization include reduced ability to form attachments, process emotions and correctly assume others’ intentions.
The lifetime economic burden of child maltreatment in the U.S. is estimated at $2.96 trillion. This estimate includes lost productivity, short- and long-term health care, child welfare, criminal justice and special education costs.
According to the Children’s Bureau’s annual report, the rate of victimization is higher among:
- Girls compared with boys.
- Children younger than age 1.
- American Indian/Alaska Native and Black children compared with children from other racial backgrounds.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a resource guide of evidence-based strategies for preventing child abuse and neglect at the community- and state-levels. Some strategies include:
- Improving financial security and workplace support for families.
- Family-centered early childhood education that promotes positive behavioral and parenting skills.
- Harm-reduction interventions by health care providers in high-risk or active abuse situations.
- Trauma-informed care for children and families.
- Early childhood home visitation from health professionals for high-risk families.
The Child Welfare Information Gateway offers resources for child abuse prevention, including a list of evidence-based practices.
Child Welfare Information Gateway. “Child Maltreatment and Brain Development: A Primer for Child Welfare Professionals.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, 2023. https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/child-maltreatment-and-brain-development-primer-child-welfare-professionals/.
Children’s Bureau. “Child Maltreatment 2022.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau, 2024. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/cm2022.pdf.
Fortson, Beverly L., Joanne Klevens, Melissa T. Merrick, Leah K. Gilbert, and Sandra P. Alexander. “Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect: A Technical Package for Policy, Norm, and Programmatic Activities.” Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/CAN-Prevention-Technical-Package.pdf.
Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. New Directions in Child Abuse and Neglect Research. Edited by Anne C. Petersen, Joshua Joseph, and Monica Feit. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2014. https://doi.org/10.17226/18331.
Klika, J. Bart, Janet Rosenzweig, and Melissa Merrick. “Economic Burden of Known Cases of Child Maltreatment from 2018 in Each State.” Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 37, no. 3 (June 2020): 227–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-020-00665-5.
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. “Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body: Early Childhood Development and Lifelong Health Are Deeply Intertwined.” Working Paper No. 15. Cambridge, MA: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2020. https://harvardcenter.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp15_health_FINALv2.pdf.
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