Re: Decline in severe assault rate against children

["Murray Straus" <murray.straus@xxxxxxx>]

Dear Marie-eve Clement:

I think the same set of factors that were suggested as the basis for the
decline from 1975 to 1998 also apply to the decreases since then.  The
article on the 75 to 85 decline is Straus, Murray A. and Richard J. Gelles.
1986. "Societal change and change in family violence from 1975 to 1985 as
revealed by two national surveys." Journal of Marriage and the Family
48:465-479.

In the US, reports of child abuse to Child Protective Services in the
various states have been declining in recent years, but it is much more a
decline in sexual abuse than physical abuse  My colleague David Finkelhor
has a draft paper documenting the decreases and examining some of the
possible explanations.  He might be able to send you a copy.

Murray A. Straus, Professor of Sociology
& Co-Director,  Family Research Laboratory
University of New Hampshire,  Durham, NH 03824
Phone:  603 862-2594   Fax:  603 862-1122
E-mail  murray.straus@xxxxxxx

See the Family Research Laboratory web site http://www.unh.edu/frl
for bibliography of books and papers by members of the lab,  conference
announcements,  and information about the lab faculty and research program
----- Original Message -----
From: Marie-Eve Clement <marieeve.clement@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
<CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2000 11:24 AM
Subject: Decline in severe assault rate against children


> To the list,
>
> I am looking for any informations that would help us explain the recent
decline in severe physical  assault against children prevalence rate (as
measured with the Parent Child Conflict Tactic Scale).  The Straus et al.
(1998) article revealed a rate of 49 per 1,000 children. Compared to the 14%
found in their 1975 study and the 11% found in their 1985 study, this
respresent an important decrease.  Can anyone help us explain this result?
Would it be the methodology (telephone survey) or the change in CTS scales?
>
> Thank you
>
> Marie-eve Clement
> Groupe de recherche et d'action sur la victimisation des enfants
> Universite du Quebec a Montreal
> (514) 987-3000 poste 7926
> marieeve.clement@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://www.unites.uqam.ca/grave