El Paso County Seeing Spike In Child Abuse, Stress In Military Families

El Paso County's child abuse case numbers are up 9 percent this year in military families and are set to surpass 13,000 overall, according to reports by the Associated Press and KRDO -TV.

Crime statistics from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office show 42 cases of child abuse, 302 cases of domestic violence, and 65 attempted or completed suicides from January through May this year alone.

As The Huffington Post reported in February, El Paso surpassed Denver as the largest county in the state this year; the county can now also add the highest number of child abuse cases in the state to its list of titles according the Colorado Springs Gazette. The Board of County Commissioners raised awareness of the issue in April, dubbed "Child Abuse Prevention Month in El Paso County", with an additional military family outreach program called the Child Welfare Military Project.

Executive Director Sandra Hernandez of Centro de La Familia, an advocacy and counseling group, told KRDO-TV:

In the military population there was always a problem because of the stressors, and that was when we weren't at war. Now that we are at war, and we've got these soldiers going to Iraq and Afghanistan for the fourth or fifth time, there is a high contribution factor to abuse occurring.

In July, El Paso County received $3.7 million from the state to help fund its human services department and ease the burden of abuse referrals.

WATCH:

Comments

[1differentdrummer]

07:08 AM on 07/16/2011

PTSD anyone?

[Mas]

08:13 PM on 07/15/2011

There are problems, each member wearing our nation's unform and who has worn our nation's uniform comes from the same society as members of this forum.

[ResistImperialism]

07:34 PM on 07/15/2011

Not enough fun creating thousands and thousands of Arab and Afghan orphans, eh?

[onwisconsin]

07:51 PM on 07/15/2011

Don't blame service people for policy decisions. They simply do their jobs as best as they can. Most have been sent into war zones for long periods of time and too often. Stress takes its toll. I commend anyone who works to help protect the children and spouses who suffer because of the stress load. The number of suicides should have told you something.

[ResistImperialism]

10:58 PM on 07/15/2011

Too many of them grew up in fundamentalist churches that preach hatred of Islam and so, many end up enjoying the carnage as a religious duty. Others are from backward regions of the US, so have racist tendencies to begin with, and hand them free ammunition and brown people, its like the world's best video game in real time.

[born 2b different]

03:00 PM on 07/16/2011

9/11 attackers were just doing there job too. Are you also going to let them off the hook.

[blizzard man robot voice]

07:13 PM on 07/15/2011

I would love to see a report comparing military households and civilian households in relation to child abuse. I bet the statistics are similar.

[janeypearl]

08:07 PM on 07/15/2011

I don't know. Thirty years ago I took a university course on child abuse from a national expert. At that time, he said there were clearly higher incidences of child abuse in both military and police families.

[blizzard man robot voice]

08:16 PM on 07/15/2011

Well what about now? Military families have gotten far better support since 30 years ago.

[PoloniumMan]

11:35 PM on 07/15/2011

It would have to be corrected for the fact that the military population, including dependents are more closely monitored than the civilian population. There's the communication network of the base hospital, family advocacy, first sergeants, officer's(enlisted) spouse's clubs, etc. that means someone is more likely to spot signs of abuse.

[blizzard man robot voice]

12:58 AM on 07/16/2011

So essentially there would be more reporting and monitoring? Seems like we are taking care of our families quite well. When there is a problem, we find what it takes to fix it.

[Beaviss]

06:18 PM on 07/15/2011

If you really want to see vets getting the shaft, go to any VA hospital and speak with people waiting to be seen in the ER.

[blizzard man robot voice]

08:24 PM on 07/15/2011

Sad how nobody responds to this but they will all cheer each other on their snarky comments calling service members child abusers when the article doesn't even say that.

[Frank David Nall]

10:50 AM on 07/16/2011

I hear you brother, my father was 100% disabled from Korea so i spent a lot of time at the VA Hospitals.

[MikeDu]

06:15 PM on 07/15/2011

Too bad Tea Baggers want to zero-out fund for all social services. I suppose they'd advise the children to 'man-up' and stop whining. They were beaten by their alcoholic pappy and they didn't turn out screwed up, did they?

[blizzard man robot voice]

07:05 PM on 07/15/2011

Once again, you are insinuating that it is the service members who are neglecting the children here. There is nothing in the article that points to that. The video, however, points out that it is the fault of the service member's family while the service member is deployed.

[Mas]

08:02 PM on 07/15/2011

And who would that be?

[Jabandit]

05:49 PM on 07/15/2011

misleading headline

[blizzard man robot voice]

08:25 PM on 07/15/2011

Yep.

[Brandon Baier]

11:18 AM on 07/17/2011

No its not, I have already had a soldier, KMAJ tell me that his job in Afghanistan is to incite terror. Directly said that his purpose there is to scare the entire population into soiling themselves at the thought of facing us. So no on top of it being a rather accurate headline, I would say that when these soldiers come back the training doesnt stop. Once you have that mentaliy that being a bully works, your usually a bully. All you old timers, I have the ultimate respect for you, but soldiers today are not trained the same way, and they are taught to create fear.

added after origial posting:I re-read the article after a few comments and I noticed something, youre actually right, nothing in that article ties the child abuse to the soldiers. I wasnt able to watch the vid, but I see what you mean, its that double speak again, kinda getting annoying, how much of it is out there.

[xamfra]

05:46 PM on 07/15/2011

"War is unhealthy for children and other living things" was a popular poster in the '70s. So was the "hang in there" kitten on a rope poster.

[glojet]

05:32 PM on 07/15/2011

well thats what happens when our military is overworked­, underpaid, dealing with untreated ptsd/o bc the military doesnt provide proper mental health treatment or resources to help families adjust. plus the fact that the military preys on our most vulnerable population­s to sign up-knowing that they are escaping poverty by joining the military..­without the proper help, the folks who are abused as children turn around and repeat the same pattern to their own.

[blizzard man robot voice]

05:35 PM on 07/15/2011

Yeah but the blame isn't on the service members. The article doesn't state whether it's the fault of the service members or the family members. The video, however, points out the fault is towards the family members neglecting children while the service member is deployed.

[slumlord420]

05:41 PM on 07/15/2011

It is mothers abusing kids and the article does not mention that because it is not PC--people like to blame violence on the male-- you know the one that is on the other side of the planet.

[sandiegowoman]

05:44 PM on 07/15/2011

There is plenty of blame to go around. To even think 10 years of combat does not make one combative is nonsense.

[glojet]

06:17 PM on 07/15/2011

this shouldnt be a blame game. we should provide more resources and aid to the military families that's the point. or just end the military. war should be virtual reality..we should turn over the reins to 13 yr olds and let each country battle it out in video games..prob get more accomplished that way..

[blizzard man robot voice]

07:07 PM on 07/15/2011

Hahahahaha! You live in a virtual reality it seems. I really didn't think people like you existed. Maybe armies can hand out daisies to one another and whatever side has the most daisies wins! Yay!

[TaxpayingVoter]

11:42 PM on 07/15/2011

Well, I got your joke, anyway...lol

[GaryDeVries]

05:25 PM on 07/15/2011

I recall when I was in the military that the day after troops went out to the field for training or TDY somewhere the NCO clubs was packed with wives seeking ''fun''.

[blizzard man robot voice]

05:31 PM on 07/15/2011

Yep. It's sad but true. The article doesn't state that this has most to do with the spouses but the video surely points to it.

[Brandon Baier]

11:26 AM on 07/17/2011

Well let me ask you soemthing my friend. The article cites "Violent Crimes" while I understnad the anger involved with a cheating spouse... does that make it ok to become violent. I will say though, that I failed to see a link between the child abuse and the soldiers. Straight up if you catch the guy sleeping with your wife... bad day for him, lol. After reading the double speak, I realized, they go from talking about the child abuse, to talking about the military, and then, in an odd fashion, link them, without grounding. IDK what to think, except something odd is happening in the media, becasue I have seen this alot lately, blatant double speak.

[CoastalNC]

08:40 PM on 07/15/2011

It is sad but true....back when I was single I use to go out and met some of the wives who frequented bars looking for fun. I even met a little girl who told me she was sad, when i asked why she told me her new daddy was leaving because her old daddy was coming back home (he was on deployment). I always wondered if these spouses on deployment had any idea of what was going on at home....and how it affected their children to have "different" daddies at different times.

[Don Harry Santiago]

05:16 PM on 07/15/2011

All you people living in a perfect world can go suck on it!!! Criticizing, a service man or woman who volunteers to serve to defend the country, you lay your head to sleep at night peacefully. You have to count on these same soldiers, if we ever get attacked by another country like China who already feels we are tearing our country apart. How dare you these troops need help not have stones thrown at them. For one day you will need them and the veterans who are trained if not go hide behind a rock.

[blizzard man robot voice]

05:18 PM on 07/15/2011

Dude, these people didn't even watch the video. It clearly points out that its family members who are neglecting the children while service members are deployed.

[silencedogooder]

05:55 PM on 07/15/2011

The article nor the video was critical. They've seen an increase in abuse in military families and it's been noted, you need to relax. My dad served his 20 years, I don't find this offensive at all. I'm glad they're pointing out that these families need help, because they do. Having a parent at war is an extreme stressor, and not just for the person serving. The military doesn't want people talking about this because they don't want to pay to get these people help, and it's a shame really. And China would never attack this country, we're their number one consumer- get an education.

[blizzard man robot voice]

07:11 PM on 07/15/2011

He's commenting on the hyperbolic and anti-military commentary in here. You have a good point that the upper brass likes to hide the black eyes of the military. I think it is less about not wanting to pay for the programs and more about having to report someone under their command, which in turn can make them look bad. Commanding officers have been relieved for all kinds of things that they were responsible for technically, but the incident was so far out of their reach to truly prevent it. I'm not really talking about child abuse, but you get the point.

[blizzard man robot voice]

05:11 PM on 07/15/2011

I eat up the anti-military comments on here with a dash of tabasco sauce from an MRE.

[MikeDu]

06:21 PM on 07/15/2011

Children are being abused and you're *imagining* anti-military comments. Not a words about the kids, though. If you're a typical example of traumatic brain-impared military veterans maybe anti-military comments are justified.

[blizzard man robot voice]

06:28 PM on 07/15/2011

How about you look at all the anti-military comments on this page and how I have tried to argue the truth about the subject here. How about you watch the video and see what I am talking about. Go cry somewhere else.

[slumlord420]

07:04 PM on 07/15/2011

What is the excuse for your brain impairment. He talked about the kids and he is not imagining anti military comments --they are right in front of your face.

[farmerlady]

04:51 PM on 07/15/2011

Since the great majority of child abuse is never reported, we can only imagine how big the problem really is.

[Assumed Name]

05:36 PM on 07/15/2011

...and the video didn't bolster confidence. (V. fluffy piece on a v. heavy issue.)

[silencedogooder]

05:56 PM on 07/15/2011

Exaclty, and I wonder what's going on in military housing as well. MPs sweep that tightly under the rug I'm sure.

[blizzard man robot voice]

06:02 PM on 07/15/2011

Oh it's a big child-abusing conspiracy!

[drumz]

04:44 PM on 07/15/2011

Well when Mommy or Daddy's career depends on problem solving through violence why the shock that the child will also be treated this way?

[TaoShaffer]

05:03 PM on 07/15/2011

You make it sound like that Service Members are blod thristy savages, this is often far from the truth for the vast majority.

[MikeDu]

06:23 PM on 07/15/2011

No, what they are is damaged souls, victims of endless wars. They're just as sad as they kids they're tormenting.

[blizzard man robot voice]

05:17 PM on 07/15/2011

There is nothing in the report that states it is coming from the military member. In fact, the example they show in the video talks about the family that was watching her children while she was deployed and that they lost custodial rights because of neglect.

[MikeDu]

06:25 PM on 07/15/2011

I've seen plenty of interviews with military spouses and they all consider themselves part of the military culture too. You include them with the military when its convenient, exclude them when it not.

[Arrech]

04:28 PM on 07/15/2011

DEPLETED URANIUM HAS FRIED THEIR BRAINS

[blizzard man robot voice]

05:19 PM on 07/15/2011

The video clearly states that it was the family members who were neglecting the children while the female lieutenant was deployed.