Challenge Of Fatherlessness
“Violent crime, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy and suicide all relate more to fatherlessness than any other single factor.”
S. Baskerville, Professor Ph.D. Howard University
Statistics by the US Department of Health show that youth from fatherless homes account for:
- 63% of youth suicides
- 90% of all homeless and runaway children
- 85% of all children who show behavioural disorders
- 80% of rapists with anger problems
- 71% of all high school dropouts
- 75% of adolescent patients in chemical abuse centres
- 85% of youths in prison
- 71% of pregnant teenagers
- 63% of youth suicides
The South African Institute of Race Relations reported in 2010 that only 37% of children were living under the same roof as their fathers.
Fatherlessness means one of two things – the father is physically absent e.g. dead or has left the family (where the above statistic refers to) or the father is actually physically there, but not actively involved in the child’s development and does not fulfil the roles of a father. Children who grow up without a father suffer emotionally, intellectually and socially. In many of our communities gang leaders and negative role models fill the fathers’ void.
What does it take to break this negative cycle?
We believe a coach has an amazing opportunity to step up and fill a father’s void. – READ MORE
