Reporting

Sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking should be reported to legal authorities who have the responsibility to do something about these crimes. Any abuse, assault, or trafficking experienced or witnessed by an individual should be reported to the local police and, when appropriate, Child Protective Services (CPS).

However, many times, sexual abuse, assault, and trafficking are hidden. Mandated reporters, such as teachers, may never directly witnesses these crimes, but they will see the signs and evidence of them in children and adults around them. Here are some steps that can be taken by K-12 teachers and others who want to help abused children by reporting accurately and effectively.

STEPS TO REPORTING EFFECTIVELY

Form relationships with children (students) and adults (parents and guardians) affected by abuse, assault, and trafficking
Recognize the abuse
Keep detailed records of observations of symptoms of abuse
Report abuse to the school, the police, and CPS
Pray for wisdom to respond effectively

Barriers to recognition

Lack of awareness
Denial (on the teacher or other reporter’s part)
Indicators are invisible or hidden
Assumptions (see Myths, Facts, Statistics)

Barriers to reporting

Ignorance of school policies and legal obligations
Fear of being mistaken
Fear of falsely accusing
Fear of recrimination (from parents, school administrators, etc.)
Fear for the child’s safety

Barriers to intervention

Child denies the abuse, usually out of fear
Parents deny the abuse
Teachers, school administrators, and health or police agencies mishandle the case
Parents remove the child from the school
Children are not legal witnesses like adults are

Barriers to Redemption

Poverty (which, as defined by Ruby Payne, means a lack of access to necessary financial, emotional, mental, spiritual, & social resources)
The physical and psychological damage to the child
Parents or guardians of abused, assaulted, or trafficked children are uncooperative
After care providers (medical, legal, psychological, or pastoral representatives) are untrained, insensitive, or ineffective

Reporters need to overcome barriers to recognition, reporting, intervention, and redemption efforts through courage, knowledge, and effective cooperation with others.

In reporting the abuse, assault, or trafficking of children or disempowered adults, the goal is to stop the crimes being perpetrated against the innocent and give them the chance to recover. Our justice system is flawed and imperfect, so not all efforts will result in a rescue. But effective reporting is a first step to effective intervention.