Father Involvement Prevents Child Abuse, Says Fatherhood Educational Institute

4/4/2006 10:30:00 AM

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To: National and City Desks

Contact: Joe Englert, 312-296-3668 (cell), for the Fatherhood Educational Institute

CHICAGO, April 4 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In recognition of April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Fatherhood Educational Institute (FEI) is conducting a national public awareness campaign to educate people on the role of father involvement in curbing child abuse. The Fatherhood Educational Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering fathers to learn their rights and stay involved in the lives of their children.

Contrary to the popular misconception that biological fathers pose the greatest threat of child abuse, studies show that most often it is not the presence of a father, but the absence of one that increases the risk of child abuse.

Data suggests that when children live absent their biological fathers, they are often at risk of being abused. According to one study conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, 27 percent of abused children lived with either a stepfathers or the mother's boyfriend.

"Mainstream media, especially television and radio, reinforce this false stereotype by frequently portraying fathers as abusers," said Jeffery M. Leving, attorney and president emeritus of FEI. "So long as we as a society continue to undervalue the essential role fathers play in protecting the health and safety of our children, we will never be able to effectively address the growing problem of child abuse in this country."

To combat this misinformation and to try to help educate parents, educators and lawmakers about the positive relationship between father involvement and prevention of child abuse, FEI has created a special resource page on its Web site -- http://www.fatherhood-edu.org -- and will be distributing public service announcements across the country during the month of April.

"We must realize that to protect our children from child abuse, we must address the growing problem of father absence in our communities," said Leving. "If we don't, we risk allowing this cycle of violence and abuse to continue for generations to come."

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EDITOR'S NOTE: To schedule an interview with Jeffery M. Leving please contact Joe Englert at 312-296-3668.

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CHILD ABUSE IS FAR MORE COMMON BY MOTHERS

1.       Single moms are twenty-four times more likely to kill children than single dads (third national Incidence Study of Child Abuse 1997). Children are 88% more likely to be seriously injured from child abuse or neglect by their mothers than by their fathers (ditto). Single mother households account for 43% of all abused children.

2.       Ninety-four percent of those who made false accusations were women and 96% of those falsely accused were men. (Hollida Wakefield and Underwager)  The 2.6 million reports of child abuse & neglect, 66%, were unconfirmed, but NOT RETURNED to the family.

3.       Eighty percent of child sex-abuse accusations are determined to be unfounded. In Florida 92% of child abuse cases (after and initial guilty verdict) were found to be false or unsubstantiated. All 1,200 people appealing had been listed as “confirmed” child abusers. There has been a 2,000% increase in sex abuse allegations in the past ten years.  Why? “Follow the money”.

4.       The New York University of Law School, finds that the law is written so broadly that virtually every parent is guilty of child abuse several times each week.

5.       Forty percent of mothers reported they had refused visitation to their ex-husband to punish the father. Less than 20% of men have done the reverse.

When shared parenting is implemented the divorce rate drops within a few years. The state has created such an incentive for women to divorce with outlandish child support and terms that it is now actually creating the divorce market.