Study Finds Sharp Drop in Child Abuse

Cases of child abuse and neglect have fallen sharply since the early '90s, according a huge federal study. A total of 553,000 children suffered physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in 2005-6, the study found, down 26% from the 743,200 abuse victims in 1993. Cases of sexual abuse were down 38%. Experts say the results show that crackdowns and public awareness campaigns are working.

The figures show that "the mobilization around this issue is helping and it's a problem that is amenable to solutions," a leading researcher in the field of child abuse tells the AP, crediting a "troop surge" in child protection services with having helped reduce abuse. "There's also been a general change in perceptions and norms about what one can get away with, so much more publicity about these things," he said. (More child abuse stories.)