Did you know that there are 3.6 million reports of abuse and neglect reported in the United States each year? Of that more than 900,000 of those reports are of child abuse and neglect. Those are some really shocking numbers. Do you also know that of those 900,000 children 86% of those children under the age of six.

As children’s ministers it is not only our job to report such abuse but to also pray for the children involved. We sometimes have this preconceived idea in our head that because we serve in a church that the kids we minister to on Wednesdays or Sundays aren’t being affected or aren’t being abused at home. We have no idea what is going on at home. We have to be praying for our kids folks.

I did some research online today and found some staggering statistics. Statistics that prove that child abuse is on the rise. Below are some statistics that I found about child abuse cases in New York alone.

• More than half (51.5% to be precise) of child abuse victims were girls
• 57.9% of child abuse culprits were female and only 42.1% were male
• Caucasian made for almost half (48.8%) of child abuse victims, 22.8% were African Americans, 18.4% were Hispanic, and the remaining 10% belonged to other races
• 64.1% of the victims accused of neglect
• 16% of child victims complained of physical abuse
• 8.8% of child victims said they were subjected to sexual abuse
• 26.2% of child sexual abuse victims admitted to have been abused by either the father or the mother
• 75.9% of child deaths were brought upon by one or more parents

This really bothers me. We are constantly praying about the messages that we are going to bring forth in our kid services but have we forgotten to just pray for the kids and the parents. Yes, we pray that we can minister to the kids through our lesson but we also need to pray for our kids while they are home or in school. Our kids are being abused in the homes and at school. They are praying for it to stop! Are you praying with them? I have had the wonderful opportunity to counsel kids that have been physically and sexually abused in the home. One child I would have never guessed to be sexually and physically abused. His parents were “typical” church folk but what happened outside of the church was a different story.

A national survey has estimated that one in five girls and one in ten to twenty boys will be sexually abused before they turn eighteen years old. I would encourage you to not only pray for the children you minister to but to also know how to suspect child abuse and what steps you need to take to address child abuse.

Child abuse is something personal to me due to my family history. If you want to find out more information on child abuse I would encourage you to visit “The Help Guide”. They have great resources online talking about the warning signs of abuse and what you should do if you suspect abuse. Obviously always speak with your Pastor first when you suspect child abuse. It’s time we start taking action … time we start really praying for the kids we minister to.

Sources: Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin & Child Abuse Statistics Resource