Monday
Oct192009
U.S. Attorney General: Childhood Exposure To Violence Is An Epidemic
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 1:09PM
By Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
Attorney General Eric Holder pledged Monday that he, along with the rest of the Obama administration, will take an in-depth look into the level of violence American children are exposed to.
“Millions of children are living with violence in their daily lives either as witnesses or as victims... Surely this is an Epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at the American Academy of Pediatrics plenary session.
“Children’s exposure to violence is a public health issue, it requires a public approach,” said Holder.
The Attorney General stated that such exposure has lead to higher rates of children being diagnosed with behavioral diseases, poor school performance, drug use and violent tendencies.
Two weeks ago the Attorney General’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention released a study endorsed by the Center for Disease Control concluding that 60 percent of children had been exposed to some form of violence within the past year. Almost half were assaulted, 1 in every 10 suffered abuse or neglect, and in 1 in every 16th was victimized sexually. The study also found that it was not uncommon for a child to be abused more than once.
The Attorney General said the results signaled a "wake-up call."
“This exposure is having a profound and negative impact on their mental and emotional development, “ said Holder
Attorney General Eric Holder pledged Monday that he, along with the rest of the Obama administration, will take an in-depth look into the level of violence American children are exposed to.
“Millions of children are living with violence in their daily lives either as witnesses or as victims... Surely this is an Epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at the American Academy of Pediatrics plenary session.
“Children’s exposure to violence is a public health issue, it requires a public approach,” said Holder.
The Attorney General stated that such exposure has lead to higher rates of children being diagnosed with behavioral diseases, poor school performance, drug use and violent tendencies.
Two weeks ago the Attorney General’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention released a study endorsed by the Center for Disease Control concluding that 60 percent of children had been exposed to some form of violence within the past year. Almost half were assaulted, 1 in every 10 suffered abuse or neglect, and in 1 in every 16th was victimized sexually. The study also found that it was not uncommon for a child to be abused more than once.
The Attorney General said the results signaled a "wake-up call."
“This exposure is having a profound and negative impact on their mental and emotional development, “ said Holder
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