Re: Canadian Incidence vs the U.S.

["B. Jenkins" <bjenkins@xxxxxxxxx>]

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I would note that the statistics in Canada indicate that, in
intact families, men are about 16% more likely to be the victims of criminal 
levels of domestic violence, including
severe violence. What the CIS study, much more a
reflection of the attitudes of the institutional services,
reflect their differential treatment of domestic violence
within Canada and between Canada and the US.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lisa fontes" <lfontes@rcn.com>
To: "Child Maltreatment Researchers" 
<CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 7:51 PM
Subject: Canadian Incidence vs the U.S.


>I am grateful to Aron Shlonsky for reporting on the Canadian study to us
> (message below), and am left with two questions/comments:
>
> 1) It appears to me that rates of substantiated emotional maltreatment
> are higher in Canada than the U.S, as a proportion of total abuse, at
> least (I don't know per capita). In the U.S. these are difficult cases
> and are often coded as neglect. Does anyone know how the U.S. and Canada
> differ in their reporting or defining or investigating or substantiating
> that would account for this difference?
>
> 2) Also, his report notes:
> "The most prevalent risk factors for female caregivers were domestic
> violence (51%), lack of social supports (40%) and mental health issues
> (27%). For male caregivers, lack of social supports (33%), alcohol abuse
> (30%), and mental health issues (18%) were the most prevalent risk
> factors."
>
> There is a certain irony here, since Domestic Violence is NOT apparently
> a risk factor for the male caregivers, yet the odds are male caregivers
> are the perpetrators of the DV. So it appears that we are (mostly)
> seeing a situation where women are being seen as the caregivers and are
> found to be responsible for exposing a child to DV, even though she is
> not the one perpetrating it. At least some of the time.
>
> Anyone else see this a problematic?
> Certainly, this is a problem we've seen elsewhere before, but it just
> jumped out at me in this reporting of the data.
>
> Lisa Fontes, Ph.D.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
> [mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu] On Behalf Of
> Aron Shlonsky
> Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 10:52 AM
> To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
> Subject: New Release - Canadian Incidence Study
>
> CIS-2003 data shows increase in substantiated child maltreatment in
> Canada
>
> The second Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect
> (CIS-2003), released on October 4, 2005, shows that the rate of
> substantiated
> maltreatment in Canada (excluding Quebec) increased 125%, from 9.64
> substantiated cases per thousand children in 1998 to 21.71 in 2003.
> This
> increase may be explained by improved reporting and investigation
> procedures,
> including changes in case substantiation practices, more systematic
> identification of victimized siblings, and greater awareness of
> emotional
> maltreatment and exposure to domestic violence.
>
> Neglect (30%), exposure to domestic violence (28%), and physical abuse
> (24%)
> were the three primary categories of substantiated maltreatment.
> Emotional
> maltreatment accounted for another 15% of cases while sexual abuse cases
> represented only 3% of all substantiated investigations.
>
> Many children come to the attention of child welfare authorities for
> preventative intervention before they have been severely harmed.
> Physical harm
> was noted in 10% of cases of substantiated maltreatment and was severe
> enough to
> require medical intervention in 3% of these cases.  Emotional harm was
> noted in
> 20% of substantiated cases.
>
> Other highlights
> . Girls were more often victims of sexual abuse and boys were more
> often victims
> of physical abuse.
>
> . Physical and sexual abuse is more prevalent among older
> children, whereas
> younger children are more often victims of exposure to domestic
> violence.
>
> . Children living in two-parent families represented 52% of
> substantiated cases.
>
> . The most prevalent risk factors for female caregivers were
> domestic violence
> (51%), lack of social supports (40%) and mental health issues (27%). For
> male
> caregivers, lack of social supports (33%), alcohol abuse (30%), and
> mental
> health issues (18%) were the most prevalent risk factors.
>
> . The police (31%) and school personnel (21%) accounting for more
> than half of
> all referrals.
>
> . Sixty-one percent of substantiated investigations involved
> families known to
> have had previous contact with child welfare services.
>
> . Following investigation, 44% of substantiated cases were kept
> open for ongoing
> services.
>
> . Eight percent of substantiated investigations led to a child
> being placed in a
> foster home, group home or a residential treatment centre.
>
> Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare (www.cecw-cepb.ca)
> CIS-2003 Information Sheets
>
> Physical abuse of children in Canada
>
> Sexual abuse of children in Canada
>
> Child neglect in Canada
>
> Child abuse and neglect investigations in Canada: Comparing 1998 and
> 2003 data
>
> The full CIS report, Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse
> and
> Neglect-2003: Major Findings (2005) by Nico Trocmé, Barbara Fallon,
> Bruce
> MacLaurin, Joanne Daciuk, Caroline Felstiner, Tara Black, can be
> downloaded from
> Public Health Agency of Canada
> (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cm-vee/csca-ecve/index.html)
>
>
>
>
>
> Aron Shlonsky
> Associate Professor
> University of Toronto
> Faculty of Social Work
> 246 Bloor St. W.
> Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1
> Canada
> Phone: (416) 978-6718
> Fax: (416) 978-7072
> email: aron.shlonsky@utoronto.ca
>
> 

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