It is everyone’s responsibility to report any suspected case of child sexual abuse. For the victims, they need all the help they can get considering that most of them aren’t even capable of reporting what just happened to them. Every citizen of this nation must understand that reporting an abuse may actually save a child’s life.
If you are residing in the United States, there are many helpful agencies, government or private, which can provide assistance and help for every victim of child sexual abuse. In fact, majority of the States do have a law that requires its residents to report to proper authorities in the event of child abuse or neglect suspicion. This mandate is based upon the concept that we are all responsible for the welfare and safety of our children.
Unlike before, it is so much easier these days to call and report because there are so many national resource centers that focus on the prevention and intervention of child sexual abuse and treatment and counseling for victims.
As soon as you suspect that a child has been or is currently being abused, the first thing you have to do is call the local Child Protective Services (CPS) office. If there are visible marks or injuries to the child, you have to contact the police. See to it that you do not put matters into your own hands. CPS and law enforcement agencies are trained to deal with child sexual abuse situations.
Aside from that, you also have the opportunity to further help victims by calling other support groups or agencies that have different areas of expertise when it comes to helping children who have been sexually abused. Every resource center can provide you with all kinds of information and assistance concerning issues on child abuse. There are organizations that can help in providing temporary shelter and refuge for the victims, intervene in actual abuse cases, take care of other child welfare tasks like adoption, and those that provide treatment and counseling for victims.
Here is a brief list of these agencies and their corresponding contact information:
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
Charles B. Wang International Children’s Building
699 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 274-3900
Fax: (703) 274-2200
Toll-Free: (800)-843-5678
ACTION for Child Protection
4724 Park Road
Unit C
Charlotte, NC 28203
704-529-1080
American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC)
University of Chicago
School of Social Service Administration
969 East 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
312-702-9419
National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse
1033 North Fairfax Street
Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-739-0321
Department of Health and Human Services
330 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20447
800-394-3366
National Children’s Advocacy Center
106 Lincoln Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
205-532-3460
Childhelp
6463 Independence Avenue
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
800-422-4453
National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse and Family Violence
332 South Michigan Avenue
Suite 1600
Chicago, IL 60604
312-663-3520
National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC)
Administrative Offices
210 Pratt Avenue
Huntsville, Alabama 35801
Phone: (256) 533-5437
Fax: (256) 534-6883
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)
2000 L Street, NW
Suite 406
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 544-1034
Fax: (202) 544-3556
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
3615 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016
Phone: (202) 966-7300
Fax: (202) 966-2891
In the American church and in society at large there is a growing problem of youth falling prey to sexual molesters. In the church specifically, all denominations have struggled with fear and denial of the problem. Many may fear the stigma that child sexual assault has on the public’s perception of a particular church body. These roadblocks to justice must be removed in order for integrity and honesty to be preserved.
