My first Magazine MercyFirst: Community Portrait_2016 | Page 7

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Family Structure:
The conditions and experiences within a home such as single parenting, separations and divorces, and
parental attitudes can place children at risk for maltreatment and abuse.
Household Composition:
The rate of single mothers with children is higher in Port Richmond, Stapleton & Mariner’s Harbor compared to Bay Ridge
& Dyker Heights and the NYC average. The rate of divorces in both the community districts is lower than NYC average.
Divorced
(% ages 15+)
Single Mother
with children
Single Father
with children
(% of households) (% of households)
Port Richmond, Stapleton &
Mariner’s Harbor 6.9% 13.2% 2.6%
Bay Ridge & Dyker Heights 6.8% 5.1% 1.7%
NYC 7.8% 8.7% 1.9%
Social and Neighborhood Factors:
A number of socio-economic characteristics of neighborhoods have been shown to correlate with the child abuse and
maltreatment rates. Children who live in neighborhoods that are characterized by poverty, unemployment and exces-
sive number of children per adult are at higher risk of maltreatment. 1
Unemployment, Poverty and Homelessness:
The rates of unemployment and poverty are higher in Bay Ridge & Dyker Heights compared to Port Richmond, Stapleton &
Mariner’s Harbor. The percentage of unemploy­ment is lower in both the community districts than NYC average.
Unemployment
Poverty
Homelessness
(% ages 16+) (% of households with
income below NYC
CEO poverty line) (Families entering
homeless shelters per
1,000 households)
Port Richmond, Stapleton &
Mariner’s Harbor 5.1% 11.6% 3.2%
Bay Ridge & Dyker Heights 5.4% 21.5% 0.3%
NYC 6.6% 21% 3.3%