Hi Pam,
Here's the abstract.
I'm sure I have the whole paper somewhere but I will have to go looking for 
it.
Karleen Gribble
Australia

Strathearn, L., A. A. Mamun, et al. (2009). "Does breastfeeding protect 
against substantiated child abuse and neglect? A 15-year cohort study." 
Pediatrics 123(2): 483-93.
	OBJECTIVES: We explored whether breastfeeding was protective against 
maternally perpetrated child maltreatment. METHODS: A total of 7223 
Australian mother-infant pairs were monitored prospectively over 15 years. 
In 6621 (91.7%) cases, the duration of breastfeeding was analyzed with 
respect to child maltreatment (including neglect, physical abuse, and 
emotional abuse), on the basis of substantiated child protection agency 
reports. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compare no maltreatment 
with nonmaternal and maternally perpetrated maltreatment and to adjust for 
confounding in 5890 cases with complete data (81.5%). Potential confounders 
included sociodemographic factors, pregnancy wantedness, substance abuse 
during pregnancy, postpartum employment, attitudes regarding infant 
caregiving, and symptoms of anxiety or depression. RESULTS: Of 512 children 
with substantiated maltreatment reports, >60% experienced > or =1 episode of 
maternally perpetrated abuse or neglect (4.3% of the cohort). The odds ratio 
for maternal maltreatment increased as breastfeeding duration decreased, 
with the odds of maternal maltreatment for nonbreastfed children being 4.8 
times the odds for children breastfed for > or =4 months. After adjustment 
for confounding, the odds for nonbreastfed infants remained 2.6 times 
higher, with no association seen between breastfeeding and nonmaternal 
maltreatment. Maternal neglect was the only maltreatment subtype associated 
independently with breastfeeding duration. CONCLUSION: Among other factors, 
breastfeeding may help to protect against maternally perpetrated child 
maltreatment, particularly child neglect.


--------------------------------------------------
From: "Pamela Morrison" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2010 3:55 AM
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [LACTNET] Breastfeeding and child abuse (reduction)


>
> He seems to have put his finger on an attitude of Western society
> that I've begun to suspect exists since moving into it!  Where can we
> access the actual research??
>
> Happy New Year!
>
> Pamela Morrison IBCLC
> Rustington, England.
> -----------------------------------
>
> directions: get lactnet welcome 

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome