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Give the Scale of Child Abuse National Attention

Target: George W. Bush, President of the United States
Sponsored by: American Humane Association

In the time it takes you to read this, another child has been abused. More than 2,500 children each day, or 100 children per hour, suffer from neglect and abuse in this country.
And the consequences are frightening. Children and youth who have been abused or neglected are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, fall victim to teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, suffer from depression and mental illness, be involved with law enforcement, and abuse their own children.

This cycle of abuse MUST STOP!

In the past, reports by the U.S. Surgeon General - such as the 1990 report on children and smoking, or the 1999 report on the prevention of suicide - have brought important health issues much-needed national attention, resulting in both federal and private initiatives that made a significant impact. Help us unite public health and child welfare resources necessary to create a safe, caring and healthy future for our children.

Urge President Bush to direct Surgeon General Carmona to prepare a comprehensive report on child abuse and neglect in this country.

deadline: 1-31-2006
goal: 15,000

20,214
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Dear Mr. President,

I am writing to urge you to direct U.S. Surgeon General Carmona to prepare a comprehensive report on Child Abuse and Neglect. More than 900,000 children each year are victims of abuse or neglect, and research shows that this has far-reaching negative effects on our society. Children and youth who have been abused or neglected are more likely to use alcohol and drugs, fall victim to teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, suffer from depression and mental illness, be involved with law enforcement, and abuse their own children. And the direct costs to our society for the damage resulting from child abuse and neglect has been estimated at $24 billion per year.

I'm sure that you share my concern about child maltreatment, and recognize this as a national tragedy that demands national leadership. Issuance of a Surgeon General's Report will raise public awareness and understanding of the extent of child maltreatment in our country, and spur both public and private initiatives to protect children and curb what has become a public health crisis. It's the best response to such an immense and complex issue and I believe is the most effective way to focus the public health and child welfare resources necessary to create a safe, caring, and healthy future for our children.

Sincerely,
/YOUR NAME/
/YOUR ADDRESS/

We signed the “Give the Scale of Child Abuse National Attention” petition!

# 20,218:

5:58 am PDT, Sep 26, Joanne Groshardt, Texas

# 20,217:

1:34 pm PDT, Sep 24, Vickie Purtell, Oklahoma

# 20,216:

8:12 pm PDT, Sep 22, Arlene Longson, Canada

# 20,215:

12:53 pm PDT, Sep 21, Ashley Mccutcheon, Kentucky
STOP CHILD ABUSE!!! everyone was a child, could you imagine someone beating you, abusing you, or even raping you at 2 years old. sign this petition to stop child abuse

# 20,214:

11:36 am PDT, Sep 18, Kyna Crain, Montana

# 20,213:

7:55 pm PDT, Sep 13, Holly Irving, Texas

# 20,212:

7:54 pm PDT, Sep 9, Chris Anas, California

# 20,211:

10:36 am PDT, Sep 7, Margaret Gotsch, New York

# 20,210:

3:55 pm PDT, Sep 5, Catherine Latour, Washington
I think it would give it the attention it needs to save lives!

# 20,209:

1:18 pm PDT, Sep 4, Ashli R. Nielson, Arizona

# 20,208:

4:26 am PDT, Sep 2, Kaytie Irvine, California

# 20,207:

12:19 am PDT, Aug 23, Miriam Rodriguez, Florida

# 20,206:

1:20 pm PDT, Aug 20, Jazzlyn Diaz, Florida

# 20,205:

12:26 pm PDT, Aug 18, Jessica Fortney, Indiana

# 20,204:

12:10 am PDT, Aug 17, Chuck Dowe, Massachusetts

# 20,203:

12:43 am PDT, Aug 15, Melinda Lester, West Virginia

# 20,202:

8:43 pm PDT, Aug 14, Marlyssa Carlton, California

# 20,201:

2:34 pm PDT, Aug 13, Richard Michael Brugger Jr., New York

# 20,200:

10:50 am PDT, Aug 10, Emily Porter, Michigan

# 20,199:

3:39 am PDT, Aug 10, Cristi Rice, Kentucky

# 20,198:

4:59 pm PDT, Aug 9, Roxie Schliesmann, Wisconsin

# 20,197:

5:53 pm PDT, Aug 8, Robin Demaine, Minnesota

# 20,196:

9:21 am PDT, Aug 8, Roman Soiko, New Jersey

# 20,195:

2:46 am PDT, Aug 5, Magdalena De Teran, Spain

# 20,194:

6:59 am PDT, Aug 4, Laura Holt, Vermont

# 20,193:

7:22 pm PDT, Aug 3, Kelli Stowe, California

# 20,192:

4:43 pm PDT, Aug 3, Lori Koss, Georgia
It would bring it to the publics' attention .. and therefore make more aware of the fact that child abuse still continues today .. even after all we've learned in the past about it.

# 20,191:

3:05 pm PDT, Aug 3, Gene Vereen, South Carolina

# 20,190:

9:38 am PDT, Aug 1, Sheryl Alberts, Ohio

# 20,189:

2:39 pm PDT, Jul 29, Iida Tujula, Finland

# 20,188:

1:43 pm PDT, Jul 28, Tim Black, Texas

# 20,187:

11:07 am PDT, Jul 28, Christy George, Kentucky

# 20,186:

6:22 pm PDT, Jul 26, Christine O'dee, New York

# 20,185:

12:43 am PDT, Jul 25, Jan Sokolovits, South Dakota

# 20,184:

10:19 pm PDT, Jul 22, Linda Hughes, Florida
It might help to find out just how many children were abused that end up our jails and prisons.How many died as a result how many committed suicide.How many had no one to turn to,no one to trust. Maybe the parent was even a officer of the law. and they thought that person could do no wrong. Even though the abuse. Some do not belong where they are but the law is the law. NO matter who they are.

# 20,183:

10:06 am PDT, Jul 22, Melissa McLaughlin, Illinois

# 20,182:

8:13 am PDT, Jul 22, Angel Ways, Australia

# 20,181:

4:04 pm PDT, Jul 21, Rebecca Enriquez, South Dakota

# 20,180:

3:27 pm PDT, Jul 21, Kali Nichols, Connecticut

# 20,179:

2:54 pm PDT, Jul 21, Cody Fiecke, Minnesota
because hes a stud thats why

# 20,178:

2:34 pm PDT, Jul 21, Audrey Marie Roach, Nevada
So the ones abused won't just let it keep happening, they're children, it's hard to go through that and many never say anything about it. They deserve better.

# 20,177:

2:17 pm PDT, Jul 21, Matthew Buchanan, Ohio
I'm not quite sure, seeing as many people tend to ignore the surgeon general. But it couldn't hurt to try it, anyway!

# 20,176:

2:14 pm PDT, Jul 21, Joanna Buchanan, Ohio
That might actually help raise awareness by people who are unsuspecting of the child abuse around them.

# 20,175:

1:56 pm PDT, Jul 21, Kari Hassett, Texas

# 20,174:

1:49 pm PDT, Jul 21, Ashley Knight, Iowa

# 20,173:

1:43 pm PDT, Jul 21, Alex Preiss, Arizona

# 20,172:

3:39 am PDT, Jul 21, Debbie Brown, Pennsylvania

# 20,171:

4:18 pm PDT, Jul 20, Lana Stockell, Connecticut

# 20,170:

12:12 pm PDT, Jul 19, Name not displayed, New York

# 20,169:

9:07 am PDT, Jul 19, Jennifer Hall, Tennessee

# 20,168:

9:07 pm PDT, Jul 16, Ella Zj, Belgium

# 20,167:

5:31 pm PDT, Jul 16, Luella May, Mississippi
We need to do something about this problem. Our children are our future.

# 20,166:

12:35 am PDT, Jul 16, Jacolin Schultz, Wisconsin

# 20,165:

12:47 am PDT, Jul 15, Elle Jordan, Massachusetts
I think a report by the Surgeon General would be very beneficial to bring the issue of child abuse to the foreground. There is nothing worse than a child abuser and it seems to me it is an ever growing problem.

# 20,164:

9:07 pm PDT, Jul 14, Daisy Kevorkian, Missouri

# 20,163:

1:34 pm PDT, Jul 14, Marina E., Argentina

# 20,162:

8:20 am PDT, Jul 14, SilverLady Hawk, Texas

# 20,161:

7:15 am PDT, Jul 14, Beatriz Gomes, Brazil

# 20,160:

5:42 am PDT, Jul 13, Marivic Barriga, Philippines

# 20,159:

7:52 pm PDT, Jul 12, Angela Mullin-Jackson, Tennessee

# 20,158:

4:21 pm PDT, Jul 12, Sarah Alvarez, California

# 20,157:

1:40 pm PDT, Jul 12, Gina Avalos, Peru

# 20,156:

6:31 am PDT, Jul 12, Pandora Smith, Texas

# 20,155:

8:24 pm PDT, Jul 11, Kimberly Grijalva, Florida

# 20,154:

7:56 pm PDT, Jul 11, Sharon Dickenson, Kentucky

# 20,153:

2:24 pm PDT, Jul 10, Rubina Biswas, Pakistan

# 20,152:

6:20 pm PDT, Jul 9, Chelyta Rosas, Mexico

# 20,151:

5:45 pm PDT, Jul 9, Amanda Rivera, Texas

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Give the Scale of Child Abuse National Attention

This petition has been closed.