Prevention Works. Period.
The latest research from the National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect documents a sharp decline in U.S. child abuse incidents in 1993-2006. According to the study, an estimated 553,000 children suffered abuse nationwide in 2006, which is 26% fewer victims than the 743,000 recorded in 1993. "It does suggest that the mobilization around this issue is helping and it's a problem that is amenable to solutions," says Prof. David Finkelhor of the University of New Hampshire, a leading researcher in the field of child abuse. Experts attribute this outcome to the success of prevention campaigns: "There's much more public awareness and public intolerance around child abuse now," says Linda Spears, the Child Welfare League of America's Vice President. This research makes clear that investments in prevention pay off—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.