Definition: Child maltreatment includes the physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect of a child or adolescent by an adult.

Magnitude of the Problem: Child Protective Services (CPS) estimated that there were 695,000 victims of child maltreatment in the U.S. during the 2010 fiscal year. According to a CDC study, child maltreatment costs the country close to $124 billion each year. It is associated with a number of short- and long-term health problems and injuries, such as:

• broken bones;
• developmental delays;
• depression;
• alcohol abuse;
• heart and liver disease;
• cancer;
• severe obesity; and
• elevated risk of becoming an abuser.

Prevention: While providing services to children who have been abused or neglected is essential, the public health approach to child maltreatment relies on a primary prevention focus, examining and addressing risk factors associated with abuse and creating programs that support and promote healthy and safe relationships, such as home visiting programs for new parents.