NDAA Hopes to Raise Awareness in the Fight Against Child Abuse

America’s prosecutors protect children. Every day, in every state, perpetrators of perhaps the most heinous of crimes against children are apprehended by police, charged by prosecutors and enter the criminal justice system to be held accountable for their offenses.

The numbers are huge. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, at least four children die every day as a result of child abuse. In 2003, an estimated 1500 children died of abuse and neglect. The rate of infant homicide has reached a 30-year high and is now the leading cause of injury deaths among infants in the United States. Overall, more than 2.9 million reports of possible maltreatment of children were made to child protective service agencies in calendar year 2003, the last year for which numbers are available. That means that an incident of child abuse is reported every 10 seconds and, according to several studies, the actual incidents of abuse and neglect may be three times higher than the number reported to state authorities.

Given the tremendous numbers of cases investigated and charged, it is fortunate that in many of our communities we have an important partner in this critical area. That partner is the nearly 600 children’s advocacy centers located throughout the nation. Children’s advocacy centers (CAC) provided services in 2004 to over 148,000 of our children (approximately 99,000 girls and 52,000 boys). Ninety-one percent of them involved allegations of sexual abuse and nearly a third of those children were under age six.

In addition to the 378 accredited centers, there are another 212 associate member CACs. These are programs that have completed substantial planning and implementation, but do not yet meet all of the national child advocacy standards for accredited members.

A children’s advocacy center works with numerous organizations in a child-friendly environment. Its response involves a multi-disciplinary approach to the investigation, prosecution and treatment of child abuse. A protocol sets out the responsibilities of prosecutors, police, child protection agencies and medical providers. The response is sensitive and non-duplicative. Abused children do not have to face numerous interviews in inappropriate settings and have the trauma of the original incident of abuse experienced several times in the retelling. In many communities, advocacy centers also provide child-friendly environments for the medical exams that may corroborate a child’s story and provide a strong basis for the prosecution of the predator.

Prosecutors have come to understand the important role that an advocacy center can play in a community-based response to the sexual and physical abuse of children. Prosecutors in many states are the central authority in not only adopting mandatory multi-disciplinary protocols but in making sure that all parties abide by them. Prosecutors, their law enforcement partners, and children all have much to gain from the work of a children’s advocacy center.

Another potential partner in waging the battle against child abuse is America’s media. In the past, the media have been instrumental in working with public health and medical authorities in changing the public perception regarding the dangers of smoking. Why can’t the same be done in heightening the public perception regarding the protection of our children against predators and abusers?

In an effort to mobilize such a nationwide drive in support of child protection activities, NDAA is planning to meet early this year with major media organizations in New York City. Working with NDAA’s media relations director and consultant, former Denver District Attorney Norm Early, we hope to lay out a campaign that will heighten every American’s awareness to the dangers faced by our children and how communities can best protect them against the ravages of those individuals who would so violently betray a child’s trust.

America’s prosecutors protect children. Fortunately, we are not in it alone. We have the advantage of working with partners in law enforcement and in children’s advocacy centers. It is my hope that NDAA can add a new partner, the media, to help us protect children from the unacceptably high risks of abuse or death. Our children are counting on us.