Fatal Child Maltreatment: The Challenges of Identifying the Causes and Incidence of Deaths from Abuse and Neglect

Abstract

To many, it is almost unfathomable that a parent is capable of intentionally injuring or murdering their own child. However, history has shown us that abuse and murder of an offspring was acceptable under various conditions in many societies from ancient times through the 20th century. While the past is dotted with social and legal responses to child abuse, widespread interest and study of the topic did not truly begin until the early 1960s. Since that time, much effort has been devoted to determine what causes child abuse and neglect. While a good deal has been learned over the past 50 years, child maltreatment is still an ambiguous field of study. Even with our improved dedication to identifying and understanding the problem of child abuse and neglect, our knowledge of the issue is hampered by the complexity of the problem not only as it occurs but also in our ability to adequately measure the true incidence of child maltreatment.