Report: The Economics of Child Abuse: A Study of California

In 2017, one out of every 19 children were reported as victims of maltreatment in California. Signs of child maltreatment are often difficult to detect, and many victims cannot or do not speak up because of their young age, fear, shame, or guilt. While the physical, mental, and emotional effects persist long after maltreatment occurs — in fact, for most, it lasts their entire lives — child maltreatment also has serious effects far beyond those for the victim. Maltreatment results in ongoing costs to taxpayers, institutions, businesses, and society at large. Local communities bear the brunt of these costs in the form of medical, educational, and judicial costs, though more tragic signs are seen in homelessness, addiction, and teen pregnancy

This report by our partner and grantee Safe and Sound, creates a concrete understanding of the widespread and detrimental impact of child maltreatment to California and articulates the detrimental effect in dollars.

Safe & Sound is a child advocacy organization based in San Francisco and one of our Value of Prevention grantees.