Let's talk about the facts.

• The murder rate for Canadian infants is more than twice the homicide rate for adults.
• More than 66% of children murdered in Canada in the '80's were killed by a parent.
• Physical abuse is the leading cause of death to children aged 6 to 12 months.
• Physical abuse is second only to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome for causing death to children between 1 and 6 months old, and second only to accidents as a cause of death among children between 1 and 6 years old.
• More than 225,000 Canadian children experience some form of abuse each year.

Let's talk about child abuse.
Oh, I know it's not a topic most people like to talk about, because it's an ugly thing. But, it's also an all-too-real thing for many children. Talking about it raises awareness to the problem which is the first step to resolving the problem.

Child abuse occurs when a parent, guardian or caregiver mistreats or neglects a child, resulting in physical or emotional injury to the child. Child abuse entails the betrayal of a caregiver's position of trust and authority over a child. It can take many different forms: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and emotional abuse.

Let's talk about how society responds to child abuse. Canadian society's primary formal response to child abuse and neglect is through its provincial child protection systems.
Responses range from:

• providing counselling and support services to the family
• temporarily or permanently removing the child from the home
• removing the abuser(s) from the home
• providing educational programs aimed at preventing child abuse and neglect.

Let's talk about kids that never had a chance to be a kid.
Hospital reports are full of stories of abuse, like that of three-year-old John Ryan Turner who died of starvation after a lifetime of abuse. And, Shanay Johnson who died, brutally battered. As well as bruises, her small body showed whip marks, burns, and missing teeth.

Enough talk! Let's do something about it!