Child abuse quilts: revealing and healing the pain of child abuse.
According to the recent government report, Child Maltreatment 1997: Reports From the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, almost 3 million reports of child abuse and neglect were filed in the United States in 1997. The number of substantiated or indicated maltreatment cases decreased from more than 1 million child victims in 1996 to about 984,000 in 1997. More than half of the reports involved neglect, about one-fourth involved physical abuse, and 12% included sexual abuse, and an estimated 1,197 fatalities resulted from child maltreatment in 1997. In response to the issue of child maltreatment, the Child Abuse Quilts Project was conceived. At least 28 quilts were made for this project, visually addressing the subject of child abuse, child abuse prevention, and violence against children. Mary Beth Goodman, curator of the quilt exhibit says, "The quilters put these quilts before you, not to make you turn away from their quilts in distaste, but to make you think about child abuse and its impact on the child, the survivor, the family, the community. Change comes slowly, heart by heart. We hope that each person who sees these quilts with [be]... re-awakened to the tragedy of child abuse and resolved to prevent it" Ten of these quilts are displayed here; all 28 are displayed on the Internet at members.tripod.com/mbgoodman/ caqpics/caqindex.html.
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D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D013784:Textiles