041174 Child Abuse Is Major Problem

DENTON, Tex. (UPI) Every fifth child admitted to a hospital emergency room suffers from child abuse or neglect, a New Jersey social scientist says.

-Violence is built into our society and child abuse, unrecognized as a major problem until the early 1960s, is a part of it," Dr. Theo Solomon, director of the Institute of Law and Social Process of Teaneck, N,J., told a seminar Tuesday at Texas Woman's University.

"There are 7 million abused children in the United States today he said, adding that New York city had 86 child beating deaths last year. Another 240 deaths might have been caused by abuse or neglect, he said.

Solomon said New York City had 3,500 cases of child abuse reported during 1973, plus 16,000 reported cases of child neglect.

To correct the problem, he said children first must be protected from parents or others who abuse them, and second, the home must be for the child to return. This means parents must be rehabilitated with professional help.

"But this does not mean that parents will accept rehabilitation," Solomon said. -If it becomes obvious that parents will not accept rehabilitation. then I say get the child out of that home."