Still Much to Be Done

As the oldest child advocacy organization in Hartford, the Village for Families and Children recognizes the importance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Congress designated April Child Abuse Prevention Month in 1983 as part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness of this troubling issue. In Connecticut, abuse is defined as "a non-accidental injury to a child which, regardless of motive, is inflicted or allowed to be inflicted by the person responsible for the child's care." While tremendous strides have been made in investigation, treatment, and increasing public awareness - a critical component of prevention - child abuse remains a persistent problem.

Child abuse knows no class, race, or ethnic division. Victims come from all walks of life and all sectors of society. While statistics are difficult to compile and often track different aspects of the problem using overlapping terminology, they are nonetheless alarming. According to statistics published by the U.S. Department of Justice, children are the victim in nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in four girls is sexually abused by the time they are 18; that number is one in six for boys. It is important to note that most studies track reported incidents, thus the problem is even larger than these numbers suggest. But regardless of the actual figures, even one abused child is too many.

The Village is actively engaged in helping child victims deal with the affects of abuse. Our primary tool is exposure therapy in which clinicians encourage victims to confront traumatic events. Incidents of abuse that are ignored can manifest in a number of other symptoms, including depression and aggressive antisocial behavior. Treatment of abuse trauma is therefore critical for a child's successful academic and social growth.

While focused on treatment, the Village supports all efforts at prevention and plays an active role in local child advocacy in this area. Sandy Kyriakopoulos, Psy.D., clinical manager of the Village's Enhanced Care Clinic, which treats child abuse victims, represents the organization as the mental health expert on the Hartford Multidisciplinary Team, which helps integrate efforts and activities of agencies involved in the investigation of cases of criminal-level child abuse. The Village also coordinates the Connecticut Governor's Task Force on Justice for Abused Children. Task Force Coordinator Kristen Clark has been spearheading the "Finding Words - Connecticut" initiative, which seeks to improve and standardize forensic interview techniques used by law enforcement officers and other child protection professionals. Finding Words is a nationally recognized program that ensures that investigation of child abuse is both sensitive to the victim and effective.

The Village encourages everyone to learn the signs of child abuse. A helpful factsheet can be found at the Child Welfare Information Gateway of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/signs.cfm). Above all Dr. Kyriakopoulos stresses that the first step in advocating for children is listening to them. "Adults need to be aware of both verbal and non-verbal cues," say Kyriakopoulos. "Children don't always know how to express themselves articulately. We need to be ready to hear what they are trying to tell us."

The Village for Families and Children, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1809 that provides services for families and children in the Hartford region. Two centuries later, the Village continues its work, helping families and touching the lives of over 6,200 children, women, and men annually through adoption and foster care programs, outpatient and residential health services, and community support services.