Who are the perpetrators of child abuse?  Approximately 40 percent of child victims were maltreated by their mothers acting alone; another 18.3 percent were maltreated by their fathers acting alone; 17.3 percent were abused by both parents (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2007).

Children who had been physically abused by parent-substitutes were much more likely to have been abused by their father-substitute 90% versus 19% by their mother-substitute (Source: Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect; NIS-3).

Children were more often neglected by female perpetrators 87% versus 43% by males (Source: Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect; NIS-3).

Compared with their counterparts living with both parents, children in single-parent families had:

• A 77-percent greater risk of being harmed by physical abuse (using the stringent Harm Standard) and a 63-percent greater risk of experiencing any countable physical abuse (using the Endangerment Standard).

• An 87-percent greater risk of being harmed by physical neglect and a 165-percent greater risk of experiencing any countable physical neglect.

• A 74-percent greater risk of being harmed by emotional neglect and a 64-percent greater risk of experiencing any countable emotional neglect.

• A 220-percent (or more than three times) greater risk of being educationally neglected.

• An approximately 80-percent greater risk of suffering serious injury or harm from abuse or neglect.

• An approximately 90-percent greater risk of receiving moderate injury or harm as a result of child maltreatment.

• A 120-percent (or more than two times) greater risk of being endangered by some type of child abuse or neglect.

(Source: Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect; NIS-3).