STRAFFORD COUNTY COMMUNITY NEEDS
DOMESTIC AND CHILD ABUSE
According to the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, 90 to 95% of domestic violence victims are women. 92% of women who were physically abused by their partners did not discuss these incidents with their physicians; 57% did not discuss the incidents with anyone.
In the fall of 2006, the Coalition and the University of New Hampshire interviewed 508 randomly selected women by telephone. Women between ages 18 and 24, and low-income women -- those most likely to be assaulted -- were underrepresented in the survey, in which women were asked if they had ever been forced to perform or receive oral sex, been raped or been through an attempted rape. More than half of the women said they had been abused in their lifetimes, and almost one-fifth said they had been raped.
Over 240 people may be served by New Hampshire domestic violence programs on any given day.
Domestic Violence Counts, National Network to End Domestic Violence, 2006
Local police report that 10 to 14 incidents of abuse occur in a household before police receive a phone call. Also, on average, 7 to 10 attempts to leave a relationship normally occur before a victim is successful, according to Officer Mike McQuade of the Rochester Police Department.
Foster's Daily Democrat, July 12, 2000
Rochester is second only to Manchester in the number of domestic abuse restraining orders issued.
Source: National Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
"In 2001, more than 7,000 New Hampshire children were reported to the state child protection agency for concerns of child abuse or nelect, yet that agency has stated it does not have the resources to investigate and protect all those children."
Children's Alliance of New Hampshire, November, 2002
Peter Odum, Deputy Attorney for Strafford County recently said, "The idea that the child molester is the man with the greasy hair and green teeth in the dirty raincoat who grabs little children is incorrect. It's more likely to be the man in the Boy Scout uniform, or the coach's cap or the frock..." In his comments, Odum also cited examples from recent cases he has prosecuted a former mayor, a pediatrician, a police officer, and former "Father of the Year."
Manchester Union Leader, March 1, 2002
In FFY 2007, the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) conducted 715 child abuse/neglect assessments in Strafford County households, substantiating 48 assessments without regard to maltreatment type. Some assessments included more than one child.
80 children were found to be victims of abuse, down from 132 child victims found in 2005. Some children had been subjected to more than one category of abuse.
Instances of sexual abuse against children declined 11% in New Hampshire between 2005 abd 2006, and 5% nationwide during the same period, according to the University of New Hampshire study, "Updated Trends in Child Maltreatment, 2006." It also found that child sex abuse in New Hampshire has declined 70% over the past 14 years.
The Strafford County households in which child abuse occured were often marked by domestic violence and substance abuse. Substance abuse rose 10% since 2005, and domestic violence fell 11%.
The most likely persons to report suspected cased of child abuse to DCFY are education community agency, and law enforcement personnel.
Prevent Child Abuse NH(PCA NH) coordinates public education and training programs for Seacoast area schools, organizations, and agencies through their office at 83 Washington St. in Dover. For more information on PCA NH programs in the Seacoast area call 749-0615.