Introduction

The prevention of child maltreatment is a multifaceted public health issue requiring focused attention and concerted efforts to protect children adequately. In this chapter, we provide the context for understanding the information presented throughout this book. We define maltreatment and introduce prominent issues surrounding maltreatment such as prevalence and disparities, particularly concerning Black children. We highlight relevant associations between women and children. Lastly, we introduce three cases that will be discussed and given further context throughout each chapter of this book. Violence against children has been an important human rights issue across the world’s continents. A number of efforts have