Child Advocacy Center of Aiken County

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Child Advocacy Center of Aiken County

• P.O. Box 1763
• Aiken, South Carolina 29802
• [phone]

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Child Advocacy Center of Aiken County
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The Scope of the Problem

• According to the United States Department of
  Health and Human Services (USDHHS) an estimated
  905,000 children in the United States were
  victims of child abuse or neglect in 2006.
• 1,530 children died as a result of abuse or
  neglect in 2006.

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The Scope of the Problem

• 1 out of 4 girls and 1 out of 6 boys will
  experience some form of sexual abuse by the age
  of 18 (Deblinger Heflin, 1996).
• Many children do not tell anyone about their
  sexual abuse (London, Bruck, Ceci, Shuman,
  2005).
• If they do disclose, children rarely lie about
  sexual abuse.
• Aiken County ranks 1 in South Carolina in terms
  of incidents of sexual violence against children.

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The Scope of the Problem

• On average, 90 of child victims know their
  sexual abusers (USDHHS, 2006).

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Who We Are

• We are a 501(c)(3), therefore we rely on grants
  and private donations.
• We do receive some reimbursement for forensic
  interviews and medical exams through South
  Carolina Office of Victims Assistance (SOVA).
• We are nationally accredited by the National
  Childrens Alliance, which is the national
  accrediting agency for CACs.
• We are a collaboration of over a dozen public and
  private agencies that serve abused children.

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Our History

• There are 18 CACs in South Carolina.
• The Aiken County CAC is the 17th and was not
  established until 2005.
• Prior to the center
• Children had to be transported to Columbia or
  Charleston
• Children had to be transported for both the
  forensic interview and the medical exam
• Children had a lengthy wait for both of these
  (usually several weeks)
• Children were also seen at the ER
• The ER is a poor environment for disclosure and
  not appropriate for examination of chronic sexual
  abuse.

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Our Staff

• Executive Director Gayle Lofgren, LMSW
  (Starting in July 2009)
• Program Coordinator Anne Laver
• Clinical Coordinator Jeanette Hanna, LPC
• Office Manager Nancy Nealious
• Forensic Interviewer Mary Helen Simons, LMSW
• Masters Level Intern (USCA) Ashley Miller

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Greeter Peaches
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Our Mission

• The mission of the CAC is to protect children by
  providing on-site agency collaboration and the
  use of the multi-disciplinary team approach in
• prevention
• investigation
• assessment
• referral for prosecution
• treatment of child sexual abuse
• To be able to conduct child-friendly criminal
  investigations.

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Waiting Room- Child Side
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Waiting Room- Adult/Teenage Side
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What We Do

• We provide forensic interviews. These interviews
  follow a protocol entitled Child First formerly
  known as Finding Words.
• We provide medical exams. These exams allow us
  to ensure the safety of children.
• We provide therapy for child victims and their
  non-offending family members.
• We provide case management by bringing all
  parties involved together through
  Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings. Agencies
  involved are Law Enforcement, DSS, DJJ, Mental
  Health Providers, Solicitors Office, and the
  School District.

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Who We Serve

• Children who have been sexually/physically abused
  in Aiken, Edgefield, and Barnwell counties
  referred by law enforcement and DSS.

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Who We Serve

• Children from ages 2-17 both males and females

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Who We Serve

• Children from various ethnic backgrounds.

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Forensic Interviews

• The goal of the center is to conduct one
  interview early in the case. This reduces the
  number of times the child has to repeat his or
  her story.
• The interview is recorded live with law
  enforcement and DSS watching the DVD.
• DVD can be used in court with children under the
  age of 12.
• Use Child First Protocol
• Used nationwide
• Careful not to lead child
• Use of anatomical dolls and drawings
• Very important as it does not introduce fantasy

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Forensic Interview Room
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Forensic Medical Exams

• Medical exams are conducted by a medical provider
  specifically trained in sexual abuse
  examinations.
• Provides exams for chronic sexual abuse which is
  95 of cases. (ER is only set up to do an exam
  on acute sexual abuse which is those incidents
  that occurred within the previous 72 hours).
• Very little physical evidence is found in medical
  exams.
• A study by Heger et al. (2002) reported that out
  of 2384 children reporting abuse, 95.6 had a
  normal medical exam.
• The same study showed that of those with abnormal
  medical exams, only 8 were diagnosed with
  sexually transmitted diseases and/or acute or
  healed genital injuries.

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Forensic Medical Exams

• Although most children reporting sexual abuse may
  have normal medical exams, medical exams are
  still important to conduct.
• The purpose of the medical exam is to
• Ensure the health and safety of the child
• Identify and provide treatment for any medical
  conditions related to the abuse
• Provide comfort and reassurance to the child and
  non-offending family members
• Document forensically significant findings

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Medical Exam Room
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Therapeutic Intervention

• Therapy is provided for children who have had a
  forensic interview at the center and have made a
  disclosure of abuse.
• Therapy will be provided by or supervised by a
  licensed professional counselor with training in
  trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy.
• Therapy is never provided by the same person who
  conducted the forensic interview.

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Multi-Disciplinary Team

• Many agencies participate including
• Law enforcement
• Guardian ad Litem
• Mental Health Providers Cumbee Center to Assist
  Abused Persons, Childrens Place Inc., Aiken
  Barnwell Mental Health
• Solicitors office
• School district
• Department of Social Services (DSS)
• Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)
• Team makes recommendations for action including
  prosecution of perpetrators, decisions regarding
  the childs home and family situations, and
  mental health referrals.

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How A Child Comes To Us
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What You Can Do

• Listen to children and educate yourself about
  abuse.
• Make reports of abuse to law enforcement and/or
  DSS.
• If a child discloses to you, it is important to
  make a report and allow these agencies to
  determine the validity of the allegations.
• Make donations to or volunteer at agencies
  assisting abused children.

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References

• Deblinger, E., Heflin, A. H. (1996). Treating
  Sexually Abused Children and Their Nonoffending
  Parents A Cognitive Behavioral Approach.
  Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications.
• Heger, A., Ticson, L., Velasquez, O., Bernier,
  R. (2002). Children referred for possible sexual
  abuse Medical findings in 2384 children. Child
  Abuse and Neglect, 26, 645-659.
• London, K., Bruck, M., Ceci, S. J., Shuman, D.
  W. (2005). Disclosure of child sexual abuse
  What does the research tell us about the ways
  that children tell? Psychology, Public Policy,
  and Law, 11(1), 194-226.
• United States Department of Health and Human
  Services. (2008). Child Maltreatment 2006.
  Accessed on December 02, 2008, retrieved from
  http//www.childwelfare.gov/ systemwide/statistics
  / can.cfm

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Alyssa Lies by Jason Michael Carroll

• My little girl met a new friend, just the other
  day, on the playground at school between the
  tires and the swings But she came home with
  tear-filled eyes, and she said to me "Daddy,
  Alyssa lies" Well I just brushed it off at
  first, cause I didn't know how much my little
  girl had been hurt or the things she had seen.
  I wasn't ready when I said "You can tell me"
  and she said... Alyssa lies to the classroom,
  Alyssa lies everyday at school, Alyssa lies to
  the teachers as she tries to cover every bruise
  My little girl laid her head down that night to
  go to sleep. As I stepped out the room, I heard
  her say a prayer so soft and sweet "God bless my
  mom and my dad and my new friend, Alyssa I know
  she needs you bad" Because Alyssa lies to the
  classroom, Alyssa lies everyday at school,
  Alyssa lies to the teachers as she tries to
  cover every bruise I had the worst night of
  sleep in years as I tried to think of a way to
  calm her fears I knew exactly what I had to do
  but when we got to school on Monday I heard the
  news My little girl asked me why everybody
  looked so sad. The lump in my throat grew bigger
  with every question that she asked. Until I
  felt the tears run down my face and I told her
  that Alyssa wouldn't be at school today Cause
  she doesn't lie in the classroom she doesn't lie
  anymore at school Alyssa lies with Jesus
  because there's nothin' anyone would do. Tears
  filled my eyes, when my little girl asked me why
  Alyssa lies. Oh Daddy Tell Me Why Alyssa lies