Physical abuse of children in Canada

The 2008 Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-2008) is the third nation-wide study to examine the incidence of reported child maltreatment and the characteristics of the children and families investigated by child welfare services. The CIS-2008 tracked a sample of 15,980 child maltreatment investigations as a basis for deriving national estimates; therefore all numbers represented here are estimates. Information was collected directly from the investigating child welfare workers using a standard set of definitions.

Substantiated forms of physical abuse

An estimated 18,688 cases of physical abuse were investigated and substantiated in Canada in 2008 (incidence rate of 3.1 per 1,000 children), of which 17,212 included physical abuse as the primary form of substantiated maltreatment. Cases of investigated maltreatment were classified as physical abuse if the investigated child was suspected to have suffered or to be at substantial risk of suffering physical harm at the hands of the alleged perpetrator. The physical abuse category includes five forms of abuse:

1. Shake, push, grab, or throw: includes pulling or dragging a child as well as shaking an infant
2. Hit with hand: includes slapping and spanking but not punching
3. Punch, kick, or bite: includes any hitting with other parts of the body (e.g., elbow or head)
4. Hit with object: includes hitting with a stick, a belt, or other object, throwing an object at a child, but not stabbing with a knife
5. Other physical abuse: any other form of physical abuse including choking, strangling, stabbing, burning, shooting, poisoning, and the abusive use of restraints.

Of an estimated 18,688 substantiated investigations of child physical abuse in 2008, just over half (10,033, 54%) involved a child being hit with a hand. An estimated 30% of cases (5,594) involved a child being shaken, pushed, grabbed, or thrown. Approximately one-fifth of investigations (4,002) involved a child being hit with an object, while being punched, kicked, or bitten was investigated in 8% (1,465) of substantiated cases. In 10% of substantiated cases (1,859) the allegation was classified as “other” physical abuse (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Substantiated physical abuse (CIS-2008)

Physical harm

The CIS-2008 tracked physical harm suspected or known to be caused by the investigated maltreatment. Investigating workers were asked to document the nature of physical harm caused by the substantiated maltreatment. These ratings are based on the information routinely collected during a maltreatment investigation. While investigation protocols require careful examination of any physical injuries and may include a medical examination, it should be noted that children are not necessarily examined by a medical practitioner. Types of injury or health conditions that were documented include:

1. No harm: there was no apparent evidence of physical harm to the child as a result of maltreatment
2. Bruises/cuts/scrapes: the child suffered various physical injuries visible for at least 48 hours
3. Broken bones: the child suffered fractured bones
4. Head trauma: the child was a victim of head trauma, including internal brain injuries due to shaking
5. Other health conditions: the child suffered from other physical health conditions, such as complications from untreated asthma, failure to thrive, or a sexually transmitted disease.

No physical harm was documented in approximately three-quarters of cases of substantiated physical abuse reported in the CIS-2008 (13,639 cases). For the 4,672 cases that included documentation of physical harm, most involved bruises, cuts, and scrapes (4,133, 88%); more severe injuries such as broken bones and head trauma were indicated less often. Table 1 presents estimates for all four types of physical harm.

Table 1 Substantiated Physical Abuse: Types of Documented Physical Harm (Estimates based on a sample of 341 cases of documented physical harm)

Note: Does not add to a 100%.

Severity of harm

Medical treatment was required in an estimated 6% (979) of child investigations where physical abuse was the primary form of substantiated maltreatment. During the three-month CIS-2008 case selection period there were two substantiated investigations of a child fatality. Because these tragic events occur relatively rarely, estimates of the rate of child fatalities cannot be derived.

Based on CIS-2008: Characteristics of Substantiated Maltreatment. For updates and more information on the CIS-2008, visit the Child Welfare Research Portal at http://www.cwrp.ca and PHAC’s Injury and Child Maltreatment Section: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cm-vee/public-eng.php