Child abuse statistics

According to the DomPost, More than 1000 Maori children were victims of abuse in the past year, a rate far higher than other ethnic groups, Child Youth and Family Services figures show.

It dealt with 1010 cases of physical abuse involving Maori children for 2005, compared with 613 Pakeha cases and 451 Pacific Island cases.

Yet the following table shows more than 13,000 cases of established abuse.




If both pieces of information are correct the difference must be accounted for with mental abuse, sexual abuse or neglect.

Notice the Pacific Island rate of physical abuse is also very high at 22 percent of the total reported. Pacific people make up around 7 percent of New Zealand's population, although that would rise in the lower age groups.

One more thought. There may be some over-reporting with some children recorded in more than one ethnic group. Typically the difference would not be highly significant.