• Almost half of the people murdered in 1995 were either related to (11 percent) or acquainted with (34 percent) their assailants. (1)
  
  
• The incidence of elder abuse is rising. In 1986, 117,000 cases were reported; in 1987, there were 128,000 reports and in 1988, there were 140,000 reports nationwide. By 1991, incidents increased to 227,000. That's a 62 percent increase from 1988. (2)
  
  
• As many as 1.5 million older citizens of the United States suffer from some form of mistreatment every year. That is about 5 percent of the elderly population. (3)
  
  
• Congressional investigators report that while 1 out of 3 cases of child abuse gets reported to authorities, only 1 out of 8 cases of abuse of the elderly is reported. (4)
  
  
• Neglected and abused children are far more likely to be arrested for property and violent crimes as juveniles are, and much more likely to be arrested at a younger age. They can be expected to commit nearly twice as many crimes and to be arrested more often than children raised in a more healthful environment. (5)
  
  
• At least three children die every day in the US because of abuse and neglect. From 1985 to 1995, the rate of child fatalities due to abuse and neglect increased 39 percent. (6)
  
  
• In 1995, 1,215 children died of abuse and neglect: 85 percent were under the age of 5 and 45 percent never celebrated their first birthday. (7)
  
  
• In 1995, over to 3 million (3,102,000) youngsters were reported to child protection advocates as possible abuse victims. Nationally, the total number of reports of child abuse and neglect rose 45% between 1986 to 1995. (8)
  
  
• In the past 5 years, 13,587,000 American children have become victims of abuse. That is an average of five children per minute. (9)
  
  

(1) Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States 1995, Uniform Crime Reports. US Department of Justice, 1996.

(2) National Aging Resource Center on Elder Abuse.

(3) Newsweek, July 29, 1991.

(4) Elder Abuse: A Decade of Shame and Inaction. Select Committee on Aging, US House of Representatives, May 1990.

(5) The Cycle of Violence, US Department of Justice. October, 1992.

(6-8) Current Trends In Child Abuse Reporting and Fatalities. National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse. Chicago, 1996.

(9) Current Trends In Child Abuse Reporting and Fatalities. National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse. Chicago, 1994.