• "I was raised being violently physically, emotionally and sexually abused. Because of being raised this way, I am deeply passionate about imploring upon the government to focus on and get strict about the epidemic of child abuse and neglect in America." Vennie Kocsis, author of "Cult Child." 

In 2019, America had 656,243 reported cases of child abuse. 67,678 cases were some form of physical/sexual abuse. The remainder of the cases were the most common form of abuse, maltreatment/neglect, 1,719 resulted in death. (from statista.com)

These statistics do not include deaths by faith healing, results of unreported births and/or unreported births that resulted in death. The most common ages of abuses resulting in death are children under five years of age. 

The United Nations General Assembly in November 2007 established the post of Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children.

The resolution encourages the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to cooperate with and support the Special Representative.

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Amendments of 1996

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 (CAPTA1974) is an important part of the federal child welfare policy continuum. It provides a framework and resources for states and tribes in their response to child abuse and neglect as well as critical resources to communities to strengthen families and promote child and family well-being.

Read CAPTA in its entirety here: https://www.congress.gov/104/plaws/publ235/PLAW-104publ235.pdf

We need CAPTA 1974 to be enforced. 

Much of the violence against children, including physical violence, psychological violence, discrimination, neglect, and maltreatment, remains hidden and is often socially approved. Although the consequences may vary according to the nature and severity of the violence inflicted, the short- and long-term repercussions for children are very often grave and damaging. The physical, emotional, and psychological scars of violence can have severe implications for a child's development, health, and ability to learn.

"Violence against children is a violation of their human rights, a disturbing reality of our societies,” says Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. “It can never be justified whether for disciplinary reasons or cultural tradition."

We want more intense monitoring of child protect services and the foster care system. More attention must be paid to state funding, where it is being used and how it is being applied to children for whom it is allocated. 

We want Congress to pass a Federal Law which would make every person (citizen or not) who is involved in a child's life, a mandatory reporter and require this person to report, should they witness neglect and/or abuse of a child/children.

If the abuse and/or abuse supporting media, literature and/ or promotion of abuse is not reported, ALL parties privy to the abuse, or abuse promotion, will be charged with child abuse.

It is time to get as hardcore about protecting the rights of all children, from birth to legal age of 18, as we are about protecting the rights of adults and unborn children.

Current Mandatory Reporting Laws

Mandatory reporter laws establish certain professionals and/or individuals as mandatory reporters. These laws typically require people who work closely with children in their profession to alert police or the appropriate authorities as to suspected abuse. As of March 2012, there are also 18 states whose laws require all citizens with knowledge or suspicion of abuse to report it to the proper authorities.

The law also states the penalties for failing to report abuse. The Administration of Children & Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains the Child Welfare Information Gateway which includes information on mandatory reporting, along with specific state laws. It is always advisable for individuals or professionals seeking information on their state mandatory reporter laws to refer to their state government’s website for the specific legislation.

Statute of Limitations

A statute of limitations is the deadline for filing a lawsuit against an abuser. Most lawsuits must be filed within a certain amount of time from when the crime was committed or discovered. Statutes of limitations vary from state to state and claim to claim. They also differ for criminal versus civil claims. States also vary in how they classify types of abuse. Visit your state government’s website for the statutes in your state. You can also read more and see a listing of statutes by state at www.sol-reform.com

Example: If you are 18 years of age, charges and lawsuit can potentially be filed against all party’s who enacted the abuse and were privy to the abuse.  Please start with making a report to your local police department, child protective services and seeking the advice of a personal injury attorney who specializes in abuse cases.

If you are a child being abused and/or with siblings being abused, and you can do so, document as much as you can through videos, photos or a secret journal documenting abuses and neglect. Make sure to add the date and time to your documentation.

An example of abuse documentation was a 13-year-old sexual abuse victim, who used her wall calendar to document every time abuse happened. She created a coding of check marks and passed it off that she was making sure to take care of her daily responsibilities. We understand that documenting may not be easy. We hope that should an abuse victim happen upon this petition, that a seed may be planted to help you begin your way out.

We want statute of limitations on child abuse to be discarded. If the governments can open them up in specific instances, such as has been done in New York, they should be permanently lifted, as crimes against children should not have a “shelf life.” Child abusers must be punished as many of them continue enacting their crimes. 

We want Congress to make it illegal to publish child abuse literature. Examples are U.S. based book publishers, such as Amazon KDP, selling books such as "Raising Godly Tomatoes," in which the author describes methodically beating a toddler for hours to train them to obediently walk to her, and "To Train Up a Child," another child abuse book in which the authors promote using a willowy branch or a 1'ft ruler for children under one years of age, and for older children, a larger branch or belt, to beat them to into submission. 

We believe in the collective good of our fellow citizens, to come together on this central issue, and protect the most precious amongst our citizens, the children of America. 

How We Will Use Your Signature

1. Implore upon the Federal government to force publishers and retailers to remove "Raising Godly Tomatoes" and "To Train Up a Child" and all child abuse literature from their site per The Child Abuse Prevention Act of 1974, passed into public law 104-235 by the 104th Congress.

2. To implore upon the Federal government to not allow Freedom of Religion to be used as a defense for the physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse and/or neglect of a child.

3. To implore upon the Federal government to not allow any Freedom of Religion acts to supersede The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Acts of 1974.

4. Ask the Federal government to fund and put in place a special commission to enforce The Child Abuse Prevention Act of 1974.  The special commission will investigate states, their policies and ensure that all states are adhering to The Child Abuse Prevention Act, and doing proper duty to insure that state employees are properly trained and funding appropriate as to inspire state workers to gain more education, and not be overloaded with cases. That the states have hired the appropriate amount of workers to properly investigate child abuse claims. That the investigative reports be proper and complete, and that monies granted to states under The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1996, be focused on the prevention of child abuse and that there be no misappropriation of funding granted.

5. Ask the Federal government to implement required parenting classes for parents with children in both public and home-schooled environments, to attend parenting classes which will provide neutral and positive alternatives for parents to learn and implement in the process of raising their children. We believe that given alternatives, most parents will utilize these child-friendly tools and not abuse their children.

These requests may feel stifling to some individuals reading. However, we feel that until every child in America is safe, and parents are adhering to safe and positive parenting which does not include any abuses outlined in The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1996, it is imperative for the future of America, that we recognize child abuse and neglect as an epidemic for which the U.S. Government must intervene in order to mandate safe childhood environments for our future generations.

These strict policies must apply to child protective services and foster care where children are trafficked and abused. Such as foster care children who have been put up for adoption in places such as Facebook groups. This system must be looked at under a microscope through a lens that has to adhere to strict, ethical guidelines in regard to the welfare of children. 

I believe that collectively, we can connect with individuals within our government who can place aside different beliefs in order to come together and protect the basic human rights of children. Signatures gain movement, so adding yours and sharing this petition is deeply appreciated. I hope one day to make a mark in creating change on behalf of all children in my country. 

The petition will be sent to:

The Us House of Representatives
217 Ford House Office Building
Washington, DC

Supreme Court of the United States
1 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20543

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Hubert H. Humphrey Building
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Thank you for caring about the protection of children. Your voice matters. 
 
Please watch this brief video about the signs of abuse and maltreatment.