Mothers Who Hurt Their Children

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Mother knows best - right?

It's reinforced in our literature, movies, books, our laws, our religion. Mother m knows best. There is no love greater than that of a mother for her children.

A Mother's Love

A Mother's love is something that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation . . . 
A many splendoured miracle man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence of God's tender guiding hand.

                                                      - Helen Steiner Rice

Our governments, schools, churches, courts bend over backwards to protect and support the rights of mothers. Mothers are encouraged and empowered to home school their children, diagnose their illnesses, control their activities, choose their friendships, dictate their living conditions, even select their religion.

Parenthood isn't easy and many mothers do an excellent job of what is a very challenging assignment. But not all.

Who Is Abusing the Kids?

The answer may surprise you. It is most commonly not the proverbial "stranger" that most children are warned to avoid - it is more likely to be someone much closer to home:

​Forms of Abuse

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services Child Maltreatment Report 2001

Percentages of victims are similar for males and females (48.0% and 51.5% respectively).

How Common is Child Abuse?

In the US, an estimated 903,000 children (1.2% of all children) were victims of abuse and neglect in 2001. 19% of reported and substantiated child abuse cases result in the child being removed from the home.

Children in the age group of birth to 3 years account for 27.7% of victims. Victimization percentages decline as age increases.

Child Abuse Victims by Ethnicity

Child Abuse Fatalities by Industrialized Country and US State

Child fatalities from abuse is more prevalent in the US than in other industrialized nations and there is significant variation state by state.