The recent child abuse allegations and scandal at Penn State University have brought the issue of child sexual abuse to the forefront of our nation’s media coverage. New audiences less familiar with this topic are now being educated on the issue of abuse, including sports fans, college students and the higher education community. It is more important than ever for adults to understand why they must take a stand for children. While the details of this case are startling, the facts are not unique. Child sexual abuse is an epidemic in this country. Recent studies show that only 6% of adults indicated that they made a report when confronted with suspected abuse.

Far too frequently, adults report suspected abuse to an employment supervisor or another adult rather than to the appropriate authorities. This has occurred within schools and school districts, day cares, places of worship, and other youth-serving organizations across Texas. Texas law mandates that adults suspecting child abuse or neglect should report directly to Child Protective Services through our state’s Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400, or to local law enforcement (generally 9-1-1.) The law in Texas is written in such a way that no ‘internal’ reporting is necessary or desired. The act of reporting cannot be passed on to a superior or delegated to another individual. Reports of suspected abuse must be immediately made to the agencies tasked with keeping our children safe. Adults who ‘handle’ an allegation internally and fail to report suspected abuse to one of these entities are actually in violation of state law.

Each year, almost 40,000 Texas children walk into a children’s advocacy center to lay down the heaviest of burdens – violence and abuse at the hands of a trusted adult. 75% of these children come to a center to recount, in the sort of exacting detail necessary for investigators, the sobering experience surrounding their own sexual abuse. It takes exceptional courage for a child to speak about sexual abuse. Often, after the abuse, these children are further victimized through threats, intimidation, or fear of social reproach.

We expect tremendous courage on the part of victims to make disclosures about their abuse. In turn, adults have a duty to believe child victims and report suspected abuse. Timely reporting cannot only alleviate a child’s suffering, but also prevent future incidences of abuse. Children inherently rely on trusted adults to listen, help, and report this crime as they may lack the capacity and resources to advocate for themselves. Responsible adults must be the voice for these children.

We believe that an informed community must have the tools necessary to face this issue, acknowledge that it does happen, and report suspected abuse. Consider the following tips:

• If a child discloses that he or she has been abused, remain calm and assure the child that they did the right thing by telling someone.

• Help the child to understand that they are not to blame for the abuse.

• Believe the child. If a child makes an outcry, be sure to react in such a way that indicates to the child that he or she is believed.

• Adults must make a report of the child’s outcry by contacting the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or by contacting law enforcement.

Child sexual abuse is an issue that breeds in secrecy. This is why The Harbor Children’s Alliance and Victim Center is working to better educate our community and bring this issue into the light. We teach children what to do if they are abused and many children do report abuse early but we also see cases where children do not report for years. The problem is this: if we just expect children to report abuse, then we are putting the burden of their protection on them. Our education also includes primary prevention which means we want to prevent abuse before it happens.

In Texas, we have a network of support, provided through local children’s advocacy centers, which is ready to step in and provide a path to healing for these small victims. The Texas network of children’s advocacy centers now officially serves over 160 counties where 94% of the Texas population resides. For more information on signs or symptoms of abuse, or to learn about your local children’s advocacy center, please visit www.harboradvocacycenter.org or www.onewithcourage.org.

The Harbor Children’s Alliance and Victim Center
(361) 552-1982
t-harbor@tisd.net