Protecting Our Future: Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month

By Sheila Boxley, President & CEO, Child Abuse Prevention Center

An estimated 3.4 million referrals alleging child maltreatment were received by all 52 States’ Child Protective Services (CPS) according to the Child Maltreatment 2011 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration Children’s Bureau. Three million different children received a CPS response that determined nearly 700,000 children were victims of child abuse and neglect. The rate is 9.1 victims for every 1,000 children. Victims in the age group of birth to one year had the highest victimization rate at 21.2 per 1,000. These are troubling statistics that demand a focus on child maltreatment prevention.

On behalf of the Child Abuse Prevention Center (CAP Center) we invite you to join us in recognizing April 2013 as Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month. In this annual opportunity to bring awareness to this critical issue, the CAP Center’s focus is on the importance of protective factors that, when present, increase the health and well-being of children and families.

Research tells us that what children learn throughout their early interactions with parents and caregivers becomes the foundation for all future development. While safe, nurturing relationships and stimulating, stable environments improve brain development and child well-being, neglectful or abusive experiences or unstable, stressful environments increase the odds of poor outcomes.

Parents and caregivers who have social connections and concrete supports in times of need are better able to provide safe environments and nurturing experiences for their children. By recognizing and building on existing strengths within communities and families, we can support all families in providing these positive and healthy environments for their children.

Investing in children today is an investment in tomorrow.

Child abuse prevention resources are available from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children’s Bureau and the Child Welfare Information Gateway. The materials emphasize ways we all can contribute to the healthy development of children and families by incorporating protective factors into our everyday work and interactions with families. We encourage you to share these resources with your agency staff, community partners, and most importantly with the families you serve.

Please accept our sincere appreciation for the work you do each day to build promising futures for our nation’s children. Our children are tomorrow’s leaders, parents, and workforce. Investing in children today is an investment in tomorrow.

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Sheila Boxley is President & CEO of the Child Abuse Prevention Center, an umbrella organization that houses Prevent Child Abuse California, the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Sacramento, Safe Kids California, California Family Resource Association, and Lift the Children. She has led the organization for 14 years, during which time it has expanded from a single county to programs in 34 California counties, five states, and two other countries. Sheila was recognized with a national award for her efforts at collaboration by the Child Welfare League of America and jointly by the League of California Cities, County Supervisors Association of California and California School Boards Association.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month | Every Child Counts

By Anna M. Caballero, Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency and VCGCB Chair

Child abuse has many forms. It can be a physical attack, child neglect, or emotional or sexual abuse, and it often leaves lifelong scars. April has been designated National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) seeks to raise the awareness of this horrific crime and its outcomes.

Government statistics are based on cases that are reported to social service agencies, investigated by Child Protective Service workers, where there was evidence to determine that a legal definition of “abuse” or “neglect” was met. In short, official government statistics are only “the tip of the iceberg.”

According to experts, most abused and neglected children never come to the attention of governmental authorities, which is particularly true for neglected and sexually abused children, who may not exhibit physical signs of harm. In the case of sexual abuse, secrecy and intense feelings of shame may prevent children, and adults who may be aware of the abuse, from seeking help.

Sadly, most children who are sexually abused are abused by a family member or close friend, and "stranger danger" is quite rare. In fact, the perpetrator is more likely to be someone in the child’s everyday life.

All types of child abuse and neglect can leave lasting scars. Some of these scars may be physical, but emotional scarring can also have long lasting effects; damaging a child’s sense of self-worth, the ability to have healthy relationships, and ability to function at home, at school and at work. Child abuse can happen in all neighborhoods and in all families; it crosses all racial, economic, and cultural lines.

Child abuse victims many times suffer from a lack of trust and relationship difficulties; core feelings of being “worthless” or “damaged.” Sexual abuse survivors, internalizing the feeling of stigma and shame surrounding the abuse, often struggle socially and have trouble regulating their emotions.

This is where CalVCP comes in. CalVCP is committed to helping these young victims get the counseling and other services they need to help them recover. We are committed to helping all victims of child abuse regain their voice and take control of their futures. While we can’t give back the innocence that so many have lost, we can help them to heal and be a voice to stop child abuse from happening in the future.

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Anna M. Caballero serves Governor Jerry Brown as a cabinet member and as Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency. She is responsible for the oversight of departments charged with civil rights enforcement, consumer protection, and licensure for 2.4 million working professionals. She has served in state and local government as Mayor of Salinas, as a city council member for fifteen years, and in the California State Assembly for four years. Prior to her election to the Assembly, Caballero established Partners for Peace, a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth violence prevention in Salinas.

A Victim’s Survival: Lessons for Us All

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

I was moved and inspired when I watched, along with 14.8 million other viewers, Jaycee Dugard’s first televised interview since being rescued in August 2009. Jaycee opened up about her experiences at the hands of her captors and explained she did what she had to do “to survive.”

As we all listened to this brave young woman recount the horrifying details of her 18-year ordeal, what kept resonating was the strength and courage demonstrated by both Jaycee and her mother. It gave us all a glimpse of what victims go through before, during and after a crime.

As victim advocates, we recognize the long-term impact a crime like this has on an entire family. Brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, children and even in-laws share the consequences, to some degree. Jaycee mentioned the lasting impact a crime has on the family, not just her family, all families.

While Jaycee’s story has gained worldwide attention, there are other countless victims enduring horrific circumstances on a daily basis, but you will never see their faces, or hear their names on the news. They deserve to have their voices heard too.

Jaycee understands this and has started her own organization called the JayC Foundation. The organization’s mission is to “provide support and services to ensure the timely treatment of families that are recovering from abduction and the aftermath of other traumatic experiences.” Despite what happened to her, she is determined to change the future for the other countless victims out there.

We all have much to learn from Jaycee’s story on so many levels. To move forward is to never give up hope, no matter how dire things may appear. It also reminds us to reach out and do something when we see something that isn’t quite right.

Jaycee is truly an inspiration to us all and a remarkable example of how one little girl can have such an enormous impact on other victims, advocates and the general public.

Like many others who have been following this story, I wish Jaycee and her family much success in their continued recovery.

Pausing for National Missing Children’s Day

One missing child is one child too many.

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

After 18 years without her daughter, Jaycee Dugard’s mother, Terry Probyn, “enjoyed every minute” of their reunion in 2009. “[Terry’s] like a little mother hen right now,” said Dugard’s grandmother. Hopelessness and endless heartache is felt by many when a child goes missing, but great joy abounds when just one is found.

Twenty-eight years ago President Ronald Regan proclaimed May 25^th National Missing Children’s Day. The day marks the anniversary in 1979 when 6-year-old Etan Patz disappeared from a New York street corner on his way to school. Nearly 30 years later, a strong collaborative effort exists among law enforcement agencies, advocacy groups, and private organizations that help locate and recover missing children.

Many creative platforms are emerging to further awareness including various internet and wireless phone campaigns. NetSmartz.org uses the internet to teach children safety awareness and empower them to make responsible decisions online and in real life. Facebook and the U.S. Department of Justice AMBER Alert Program have joined together for Facebook users to receive instant feed of abduction alerts. Wireless phone users can sign up for the Wireless AMBER Alerts, and this 24-hour hotline is available to report a missing child, seek assistance in locating a child, or report the sighting of a missing child.

The California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) approaches child safety and victim recovery with great care. Last year, CalVCP assisted nearly 23,000 child victims of abuse, assault and sexual assault, some also being victims of abduction. We stand committed to doing all we can to assist each one in recovery.

Let us continue to make child safety and assistance a priority. Together with first responders, community activists, government groups, mothers, fathers and families, we can make a great difference working side by side. It is my hope the others missing in our state be found quickly so they too can be reunited with their families and share the joy that Jaycee and her mother now enjoy.

Advocating for Our Children

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

It is hard to imagine that anyone would want to do anything but love, protect and nurture a child. Unfortunately, crimes are committed to even the most innocent of victims. As we recognize April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, CalVCP has renewed our commitment to help those who have been affected by this terrible crime.

Child abuse can impact a child’s life well into adulthood. Statistics show that child abuse fuels crime and has adverse health effects. Fortunately, there are many organizations that are helping our children through advocacy, safety, education, research, and assistance programs. Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) is one such non-profit organization. With chapters all over the world, this international organization exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children and empower and strengthen children to not feel afraid. A wounded child who has had a BACA intervention is 4 times more likely to testify in court. In fact most BACA children have improved self-confidence, diminished regressive behavior, increased feelings of safety, willingness to communicate, reduced feelings of guilt, decreased “acting out” behaviors, independence, and much more.

California takes crimes committed against young people very seriously and is dedicated to helping our children receive assistance. CalVCP provides assistance to victims of many crimes related to child abuse such as molest, corporal injury, illegal sexual intercourse, endangerment, rape, pornography and incest among others.

More than ever, our program is committed to aiding children as quickly as possible. Consequently, over the last two years CalVCP assisted nearly 14,000 child abuse victims paying over $22 million in assistance. Last year alone, CalVCP provided over $10 million in assistance for the costs of mental health treatment, nearly half a million dollars to pay for relocation and almost $200,000 for medical expenses.

It is important for us to do our part in staying informed and educated, and most importantly, to recognize the warning signs of child abuse. Please take some time to educate yourself through the various resources available by visiting www.preventchildabuse.org or www.bacaworld.org. I hope you will join me in recognizing April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. May we further educate ourselves, consider volunteering, and support prevention programs!