Study Points the Way to Defeating the Goliath Problem of Fatherlessness

Updated: Jul 31, 2021

In this article:

How fatherlessness became such a big problem in our society
Study shows hope for ending fatherlessness and crime

Have we given fatherlessness permission to grow?

It's the silent problems that are often also the most deadly in our society: Cancer… Suicide… and Fatherlessness…

Fortunately, non-profit's like Choose to Change are taking the right actions to end fatherlessness through the unlikely solution of mentorship. In fact, as you will read, studies have proven the effectiveness of mentorship against fatherlessness and crime.

But before we dive in, what makes fatherlessness so dangerous?

One in four children in America doesn't have a man in their life to point to and say, "That's my dad."

It's the deafening silence.

So few are unaware – or at least choose to not talk about the problem. Therefore, fatherlessness has been allowed to grow undetected, causing all sorts of societal issues. As a result, we have indirectly given fatherlessness permission to spread.

One in four children in America doesn't have a man in their life to point to and say, "That's my dad."

Studies have repeatedly shown that fatherlessness is the root cause of nearly all societal issues. Moreover, because fatherlessness has drastically increased, the risk of many societal problems has also grown. Issues such as poverty, hopelessness, suicide, teen pregnancy, and incarceration.

Fatherless children are robbed of a future or hope to become successful in life. Instead, they become destined to abandon their own children and worsen the fatherlessness crisis.

Fatherlessness has become a deadly cycle that only worsens every year. Unfortunately, hearing the severity of the fatherless epidemic can make us feel defenseless against this Goliath of a problem.

Luckily for every Goliath, there is a David. Fortunately, it also means the Goliath of fatherlessness has a weakness! And it can be fought through mentoring.

A Glimmer of Hope For Ending Fatherlessness and Crime

Thanks to a doctoral thesis from 2003, it proves that Choose to Change is doing the right things to fight against fatherlessness!

The study involved using "old heads" to try decreasing homicidal rates. And this is what they found:

They studied the influence on older individuals who invested in the community and the lives of young adults they're connected to. They were referred to as "old heads."

As a result, they found that "old heads" had little to no influence on people who grew up with dads. However, there was a significant amount of impact on men who grew up without dads.

Here were the results:

• The risk of fatherless males committing a homicide without the presence of old heads is 600% higher than those who had an old head involved in their life.

• The risk of fatherless males committing homicide with a high presence of old heads was nearly identical to those who grew up with a father.

These insights give us a dramatic contrast between fatherless men with mentors (old heads) and fatherless men without mentors. Furthermore, "old heads" mentoring fatherless men proved to significantly reduce the homicide rate.

This proves the need for mentors to show men a pathway to be committed, loving men to support young fatherless dads.

"I've been blown away by the immediate connection in my personal mentorship relationship," said a young mentee of non-profit, fathering.me. "I've never had someone who knows me so little care about me so much," he added.

It's encouraging to know the impact that non-profits like Choose to Change can make by mentoring men to be the fathers, husbands, and leaders our society desperately needs.

A wise man once said, "An enemy exposed is an enemy defeated."

Although anyone may not be equipped to fatherlessness by mentoring men, we all can increase awareness of this growing problem in our society. In doing so, you help expose the damaging effects fatherlessness which will help inspire our communities to come together and take action.

Partnering with non-profits such as Choose to Change Foundation will multiply our efforts to put an end to the fatherless crisis. Together, as we actively increase awareness and continue mentoring men, we can finally take down our modern-day Goliath called fatherlessness.

Who's life will you change?