The COVID-19 pandemic has left the most vulnerable of the home unprotected. Since the pandemic started, child abuse cases have plummet in the United States.
In the AP’s analysis, the number of calls reporting child abuse in 2020 dropped by 40% compared to the same period of time in 2019.
Experts fear the pandemic has masked ongoing child abuse crisis especially in youngest children as cases plummet.
“Typically, about half of the children that are being identified in child abuse and neglect or under the age of 5 and one in four is an infant. So, it’s our youngest children are bearing the brunt and the burden of child abuse and neglect,” said Amy Haile, executive director of Champions for Children.
The number of calls to the abuse hotline started falling in March, when most schools first closed their doors due to the pandemic and teachers who are the top reporters of abuse weren’t seeing their students every day at school. Since then, fewer in-person interaction became a reality leaving anxiety and concern in teachers, but according to experts it is still possible to detect child abuse via a screen.
“Observing a person, it’s huge, you know, if they’re depressive if their anxiety is up high and usually it’s never up high. That’s a red flag right there. So those are things that we have to focus a little bit more on and I recommend all the teachers that actually have their kids with their cameras open because it’s very important,” child therapist Maisam Hamdan said.
Looking at unusual signs are what experts recommend but how to identify them is a challenge for many parents.
“So, one of the most common things that we can identify with child abuse is how the kid behaves a lot of times children behave very differently around certain people can be grandparent, uncles, even their own parents or any family friend. Another red flag would be isolation,” child therapist Maisam Hamdan said.
Fewer face-to-face interaction and lack of communication between parents and children has escalated this issue to a point of hospitalization, experts said.
“I feel like there has been an increase in numbers. Children coming to the emergency room getting evaluated because of agitation, aggression and misbehaving with you know, their behavior just escalates to a point that they get so aggressive in the house and the parents are not able to control them. Where is this coming from? It’s coming from the parents themselves because they’re arguing with the kids,” child therapist Maisam Hamdan said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during the pandemic the number of emergency department visits related to child abuse and neglect decreased, but the percentage of such visits resulting in hospitalization increased, compared with 2019.
Experts recommend seeking the necessary help to avoid cases of child abuse, especially at homes where the pandemic has affected many emotionally and financially.
“We have a stigma in our country around anybody asking for help whether it’s mental health or parenting help. We don’t have a stigma if you have a broken leg, and you go to a physician to fix that leg. But if you’re struggling and you’re feeling isolated there is a stigma to say hey, I need some respite. I need somebody to help me come in and learn how to feed my baby to bathe my baby to just give me a break so I can collect myself,” executive director Amy Haile said.
For 45 years, Champions for Children has worked to help families in the Tampa Bay area. Their mission is to build stronger families focusing on child abuse prevention programs.
“Families shift through all that white noise and so we’re not here to tell parents how to parent. We’re here to listen to families and find out what family you want to be and let’s help walk alongside you to get to that destination,” executive director Amy Haile said.
If you suspect that a child is a victim of abuse of neglect, please report it to the Florida Abuse Hotline or call these numbers: TTY: 711 or 1-800-955-8771. FAX: 1-800-914-0004.
