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The number of abused and neglected children dropped nationwide for the seventh consecutive year, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

The report estimates 679,000 children were abused or neglected across the country in 2013, down from 680,000 victims in 2012, with more than 1,500 child deaths attributed directly to abuse and neglect – approximately 2.04 deaths per 100,000 children in the United States.

Other factoids include that nearly three quarters of all child fatalities were younger than three years old, that boys had a higher child fatality rate than girls – 2.26 boys per 100,000 boys in the population vs. 1.77 per 100,000 girls in the population – and that four-fifths (78.9 percent) of child fatalities were caused by one or both parents.

Seven years of declines is worth noting, but there are still far too many children victimized and abused. Learn to recognize signs and symptoms of abuse, report suspected cases of abuse and support organizations like Family & Children’s Place that are working to protect Louisville area and Southern Indiana kids.

Be the face and voice that ends child abuse.