"Usually it's drugs, alcohol, immaturity, poverty, or just plain craziness"
This is a stereo type that only perpetuates the myth that abuse does not occur in "my back yard." Especially offensive is implied notion that if a family is poor then there is more likely abuse occurring in the family. What is the definition of "immaturity?" Of course, many men and/or women may be 40 and have the maturity of a adolescent. It is a matter of checking the facts independent of the bias of a newspaper. There are plenty of facts at, for example, the department of justice, which only shows stats on reported by law enforcement agencies. It is true that poverty in and of itself creates a great deal of stress. However, I've facilitated plenty of programs for "moms at risk" (of hurting their children) and all of the moms were from suburbia, and well above the poverty line. Please let's not invent and/or perpetuate the stereotypical concepts stated above.