Amarillo Area CASA

Child Abuse is heart breaking. But imagine the fear of these young victims as they move through the maze of a judicial system that will decide their futures. Who is there to really listen to the child… to see his or her own interests and feelings are served… to ensure this small, frightened voice will be heard?

For more information on how to report child abuse, click here!

Possible signs of child abuse:
[Source: Texas Committee to Prevent Child Abuse]

NEGLECT	EMOTIONAL ABUSE
- Obvious malnutrition - Begs for/steals food - Body/hair dirty, odor - Unattended for long periods - Frequent school absences - Obvious fatigue/listlessness	- Overly adaptive behavior - Speech disorders - Delinquent behavior - Conduct/habit disorders - Substance use
SEXUAL ABUSE	PHYSICAL ABUSE
- Difficulty in sitting/walking - Poor peer relations - Suicide attempts - Physical signs/STD's - Sexually suggestive behavior - Pregnancy/young girl - Knowledgeable/sexual relations - Reports sexual assault	- Frequent injuries - Lack of reaction to pain - Evidence of poor self-concept - Fear of going home - Chronic runaway - Wears unseasonable clothing - Reluctance to sit down

STATISTICS

In the United States 1,056 children die every year at the parents or caregivers expense.

Three children will die today from abuse or neglect.

18,000 children a year are disabled permanently, (51 children a day).

142,000 are seriously injured, (403 children a day).

Every three minutes a child is reported abused or neglected in Texas.

Child Protective Services investigated 99,929 reports of child abuse and neglect in Texas in 1999.

In 1998, there were 134 confirmed abuse or neglect cases involving one or more children in Potter and Randall Counties.

2,315 CASA volunteers served 11,413 of these children in Texas in 2000.

Amarillo Area CASA currently has over 90 volunteers.

Amarillo Area CASA is currently assigned over 100 cases serving over 200 children.

Statistics from the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, The Children's Defense Funds, U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect.