Basic HTML Version
July 1971
love, because they have never expe–
rienced this themselves.
Cbild Abuse Studies
The comprehensive, nationwide study
conducted by Dr. David G. Gil and
his associates for the U. S. Children's
Bureau in
1967
and
1968
discovered
severa! notable factors
m
this con–
nection.
First, about one third of the abused
chi ldren were non-white. Since only
15
percent of children under age
18
in the
United States in
1967
were non-white,
this meant tbat child abuse cases were
more prevalent among minorities. Soci–
ologists believe this is due to the
higher
level of fathel'less homes,
large families,
and socioeconomic deprivation among
these groups.
Jnterestingly, families with four or
more children suffered nearly twice as
much child abuse as the national aver–
age.
The educational Jevel of abusive par–
ents is fairly low, overall . There were
sorne college graduates among the abu–
sivc parents, but the vast majority had
from
9-12
years of schooling.
It
was
also found that only
52.5
percent of the
fathers were employed throughout the
year. At the time of the abuse incident
unemp!oyment among the fathers ran
about three times as high as the national
average.
Also, it was discovered that nearly
4
families in 10 that had incidents of child
abuse were on public assistance. Alto–
gether, nearly 60 percent of the families
had received aid from public-assistance
agencies during or prior to
1967.
These discoveries are significant.
They reveal a general pattern which
prevails in abusive families. The parents
tend to
be
uneducated. They tend
to
be
poverty-stricken, or nearly so. The fam–
ily often suffers from a broken-home
environment.
However, don't make the mistake of
thinking that this is only a ghetto
problem. Many chi ld abusers are finan–
cially well off, and a number of them
have higher education!
Authorities in Confusion
Authorities are divided on what
should be done to correct the problem of
The
PLAIN TRUTH
39
HOW
your PLAIN TRUTH sub–
scription has been paid
Many ask, "WHY can't 1 pay
for my own subscription? HOW
can you publish such a quality
magazine without advertising reve–
nue?"
This organization operares in
a
way
none ever did before. These
entire worldwide enterprises started
very small. The Editor had given
a series of lectures in Eugene, Ore–
gon in 1933, on the laws of success
in
life. Individual failures and col–
lective world troubles have resulted
from wrong principies which moti–
vate human society.
This world's approach to life
operates on the philosophy of self–
centeredness - of getting, acquir–
ing, and of envy, jealousy and
hatred. The lectures reversed the
approach, showing that the way to
real success
-
peace, happiness and
abundant well-being - is
the way
of outgoing concern for others
equal to that for self - actually
tbe
givit1g,
serving, cooperating
way.
Response was surprising and en–
thusiastic. A number of lives
about-faced. The manager of Radio
Station KORE, and about a dozen
others of very ordinary means,
volunteered to contribute regularly
toward getting this knowledge to
more people by radio.
For seven years previously, the
Editor had envisioned a monthly
magazine to
be
named
T he
PLAIN
TRUTH. Now, by starting it as a
mimeographed "magazine" the way
had opened.
The first week in January 1934,
The
WORLO TOMORROW pro·
gram started on the air. On Feb–
ruary 1, that year,
The
PLAIN
child abuse. Says David Gil: "Dis–
agreement among scholars and profes–
sionals continues to exist with regard to
nearly every aspcct of this phenomenon
- its scope, its nature, and measures
for dealing with it" (Gil,
op. cit.,
p.
48).
In fact, psychiatrist Norman Polan–
sky, an experienced tberapist, social
scientist and researcher at the Univer-
TRUTH made its most humble
bow. Response was gratifying. It
was something
different
-
some–
thing
right
-
something vitally
needed
-
something containing
vitality and life !
There was no request for con–
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givi11g
way, and had to practice what it
advocated. A few sma!! contribu–
tors joined in the cause
voluntarily.
Little by little, gradually, listeners
and readers became
voluntary
Co–
Workers. They
wanted
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a
part in expanding this unique and
needed
Work.
Growth seemed slow. But it was
steady and continuous, at the tate
of approximately 30% ayear. That
rate of growth has continued for
36 years. We were advocating THE
WAY of GIVING, not getting. To
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Although you cannot pay for
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We
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today are having a dynamic impact
on 150 million people, worldwide.
Our happy Co-Workers join in
a sincere THANK YOU for allow–
ing us the pleasure of serving you.
lt gives us lasting pleasure.
sity of Georgia, in a report to the
Joint Commission on Mental Health for
Children, stated: "Our ignorance regard–
ing the problems of child abuse and
child neglect is, in the year 1968,
not quite total, but it
is
severe enough
to
be inexcusable. . . . Finally, we do
not know how to 'treat' either of these
social conditions in the sense of bring–
ing about enduring change in the par-