Child abuse is a heartbreaking reality for many children living in poverty. It can come in many forms, from neglect and exploitation to forced child labor. But no matter the form, the facts here illustrate an urgent and growing need: Children around the world are suffering and need someone to stand up for them.
Facts About Child Abuse
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “violence against children includes all forms of violence against people under 18 years old, whether perpetrated by parents or other caregivers, peers, romantic partners or strangers.”
Here are some additional facts and stats about child abuse globally:
It’s estimated that up to 1 billion children aged 2-17 have experienced some form of violence or neglect in the past year.
A child is killed by an act of violence every four minutes around the world.
Girls can face and even greater risk, especially in fragile settings, with 1 in 4 girls experiencing rape and sexual assault in childhood.
Violence takes the lives of about 130,000 children and young adults under 20 each year on average.
In the world’s most impoverished countries, more than 1 in 5 children are engaged in child labor.
The most recent shows that approximately 28% of identified victims of trafficking globally are children.
The Impact of Child Abuse on Children in Poverty
Abuse has far-reaching impacts on every single child who experiences it. For children in poverty, the impacts are often worsened by their circumstances.
Let’s look at an example. Children who experience physical violence and abuse may be left with serious injuries or diseases. However, children in poverty lack access to even basic medical care, let alone emergency care.
Left hurting, these children may not be able to attend school due to illness. They may not be able to keep a job due to pain. Without proper schooling or income, these children grow into adults who are kept trapped in the cycle of poverty.
Sadly, this is just one of the many ways abuse can impact an impoverished child’s entire life.
How Compassion Protects Vulnerable Children in Need
As a ministry working to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name, Compassion is serious about keeping children safe. We believe child protection is central to God’s heart. This motivates us to live out God’s mandate to love, care for and protect his little ones.
Every child in our program is surrounded by loving adults tasked with protecting them at all costs. At Compassion we:
Prevent abuse whenever possible.
Intervene quickly when abuse is reported.
Seek to provide restoration and healing.
Empower children to be active in their own protection, ensuring they know their rights and have the confidence to stand up for them.
We continuously protect children by providing age-appropriate training to every child and youth in our programs, empowering them to advocate for themselves. We also train our staff members, leaders and volunteers at local churches to protect, practice safety and respond quickly to concerning reports.
You Can Help Us Protect Children in Poverty
If the above facts tell us anything, it’s this: Millions of children around the world need us to stand in the gap for them. To protect them. And while we may not be able to help them all at once, every child that’s loved and cared for is one less child that’s abused and neglected.
There are a few different ways you can help us protect children living in poverty from harm. You can:
Pray: Prayer is powerful! Every month, our staff around the world send us urgent prayer requests on behalf of the children we serve. You can join us in praying for these critical needs.
Donate: You can help us provide immediate support to children in need by donating to Compassion. For example, you can give to the Highly Vulnerable Children fund, which helps children in the most vulnerable situations. Or you can give to other initiatives providing much-needed care to children, from medical assistance to clean water.
Sponsor: Impoverished children need consistent love and care to leave poverty behind. By becoming a sponsor, you can deliver that care by donating monthly to a child in need. As a sponsor, you empower a local church to share the hope of the gospel by providing practical care, from medical checkups to education, helping children break the bonds of poverty in their lives.
