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Prevent Child Abuse Vermont presents:
Early Childhood Sexual Abuse Prevention Training of Trainers
Increase your child sexual abuse prevention efforts.
Training participants gain skills and knowledge to conduct Nurturing Healthy Sexual Development trainings as well as implement the Care For Kids curriculum with children ages 3-8, provide training to educators, and conduct outreach to parents. Space is available for
August 17 and 18 at the Prevent Child Abuse VT office in Montpelier, VT.
Email [email protected] to register.
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OVC Seeking Nominations for 2016 National Crime Victims' Service Awards
Through the National Crime Victims' Service Awards (NCVSA), the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) recognizes extraordinary individuals, organizations, teams, and programs that demonstrate outstanding achievements in supporting victims and victim services. Each year, the recipients are honored at the National Crime Victims' Service Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. during National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
In addition to the existing award categories, this year OVC has announced a new award category, the Tomorrow's Leaders Award. This award seeks to honor and highlight youth up to 24 years of age who have dedicated their efforts to supporting victims of crime.
View all of the award categories and nominate a deserving individual, organization, team, or program through the Online Nomination Form. Nominations are
due July 30, 2015.
Visit the NCVSA website to learn more about submission and nominee guidelines, including FAQs.
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Victim Assistance Training Online (VAT Online) is a web-based basic victim advocacy FREE training program. It offers victim service providers and allied professionals the opportunity to acquire the basic skills and knowledge they need to better assist victims of crime. Register online or visit the NCAC website for more information.
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CALiO™ IQ
Do You Know?
In which article does the service providers described an alternate reality for child victims in which they do not have an adult framework for defining abuse and exploitation and rarely understand the labels placed upon their experiences?
A.
Assessing Exploitation Experiences of Girls and Boys Seen at a Child Advocacy Center
B.
Preparing for a Trauma Consultation In Your Juvenile and Family Court
C.
Understanding Victim Resistance: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Service Providers
D.
Letting Kids Be Kids: Employing a Developmental Model in the Study of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
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We are looking for workshop presenters for the
Administration, Child Protective Services, Forensic Interviewing, Human Trafficking/Sexual Exploitation, Law Enforcement, Medical, Mental Health/Treatment, Prevention, Prosecution/Legal,
Secondary Traumatic Stress and Victim Advocacy.
Submit workshop proposal applications by close of business June 26, 2015. Late submissions will not be accepted.
For more information about this conference, please contact Amy Boyd. |
International Training
Did you know that we have done training classes all over the world? We have been to Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and Turkey. We can come to your location! Please contact Joy Davis for more information.
We offer the following training classes internationally:
- Forensic Interviewing of Children
- Extended Forensic Interviews
- Supervising Forensic Interviewers
- Multidisciplinary Response to Child
- Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
- Multidisciplinary Team Development
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Preparing for a Trauma Consultation In Your Juvenile and Family Court
The information presented in this article aims to help judges and courts decide whether a trauma consultation is appropriate for their jurisdiction and to outline what courts can expect before, during and after a consultation. The trauma consultation process is nuanced and courts can face unintended consequences in attempting to conduct its own consultation. It is strongly recommended that courts engage experienced and objective external consultation teams as they strive to become more trauma-informed through a consultation process. It is important to note that this document is not a 'how to' guide for courts to conduct their own internal trauma consultations. This article is located in CALiO™Collections. Simply enter the title in the search box.
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NCAC Out and About
In May, NCAC Executive Director, Chris Newlin, conducted a Child Protection Investigation Team (CPIT) Training at the Memphis, TN Child Advocacy Center.
Chris also attended the Missing Children's Day Ceremony hosted by the Department of Justice in Washington, DC. The new Attorney General Loretta Lynch provided moving remarks during this event, committing the continued strong support of the Department of Justice in responding to all forms of child abuse and exploitation.
In May, NCAC Senior Trainer, Linda Cordisco Steele conducted a Forensic Interviewing of Children Training in Burlington, VT, and an Advanced Forensic Interviewing Training in Rutland, VT. She also conducted an Advanced Forensic Interviewing Workshop in Shreveport, LA.
Also in May, NCAC Trainer, Andra Chamberlin provided training on best practices in child forensic interviewing and child development for JAG officers from Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville AL.
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Assessing Exploitation Experiences of Girls and Boys
Seen at a Child Advocacy Center
 The primary aim of this study was to describe the abuse experiences of sexually exploited runaway adolescents seen at a Child Advocacy Center. The study sought to identify risk behaviors, attributes of resiliency, laboratory results for sexually transmitted infection (STI) screens, and genital injuries from colposcopic exams. Retrospective mixed-methods were used, including in-depth forensic interviews, together with self-report survey responses, physical exams and chart data. Results showed that the first sexual exploitation events for many victims occurred as part of seemingly random encounters with traffickers, while older adolescent or adult women recruited some youth working for a pimp. However, half the youth did not report a trafficker involved in setting up their exchange of sex for money, substances, or other types of consideration. Inconsistent with common depictions, youth may be solicited relatively quickly as runaways, yet exploitation is not always linked to having a pimp. Avoidant coping does not appear effective, as most patients exhibited significant symptoms of trauma. Awareness of variations in youth's sexual exploitation experiences may help researchers and clinicians understand potential differences in sequelae, design effective treatment plans, and develop community prevention programs.This study is located in CALiO™ Collections. Simply enter the title in the search box.
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Statistics for Children and Sex Trafficking
The bogus claim that 300,000 U.S. children are 'at risk' of sexual exploitation.
What statistic are you using for the number of children in the United States who are victims of sex trafficking? The correct answer, which was published In the Loop (January issue) is:
Data is hard to come by for a meaningful description of sex trafficking as it relates to minors in the United States. Research does indicate there is a strong association with child sexual abuse and sex trafficking of minors (Institute of Medicine & National Research Council, 2013). There is no recent research to estimate the number of minors victimized by human trafficking or an estimate for the number of minors at risk.
Most state and local systems (child protective services, law enforcement, and prosecution) do not have human trafficking as an entry in their databases to capture the information. To complicate matters, human trafficking is not one crime. In addition, the lack of human trafficking departmental policies and/or specialized training is also a problem. This makes it difficult to recognize and help victims. Refer to the document,
Using unsubstantiated figures can only hurt your reputation and that of your organization. Always be able to document the source of what you state.A current example of getting in trouble is found in The Washington Post on May 28, 2015 written by Kessler, G. Title: The bogus claim that 300,000 U.S. children are 'at risk' of sexual exploitation. If you are questioning a statistic or unsure of its veracity, NCAC's Child Abuse Library Online (CALiO™) can help, contact a research librarian. |
Letting Kids Be Kids: Employing a Developmental Model in the Study of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
As American society has become increasingly aware of the plight of sex trafficked American children, attention has shifted from delinquency to victimhood with a corresponding awareness of the trauma that victims endure. This theory is incomplete without a larger understanding of the developmental vulnerabilities that leave children uniquely susceptible to recruitment and exploitation.
Since the average age of entry into the commercial sex trade within the United States is 12-14, an exploration of the particular vulnerabilities of young teenagers (separation from parents, the process of identity formation, yearning for love and attention, susceptibility to peer pressure, cognitive and neurological changes, etc.) is essential to understanding the current epidemic of sex trafficking of minors. This article will not only explain these developmental liabilities and the corresponding increased risk for psychological distress among adolescents, but it will also reveal the developmental advantages that facilitate growth and healing among adolescents. Such knowledge will explain why early adolescents are targeted and will consider how society can combat trafficking through reduction of risk factors, prevention and intervention programs, political action, and an appreciation of teenagers' strengths. This article is located in CALiO™ Collections. Simply enter the title in the search box.
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CAC of the Month
Central Nebraska Child Advocacy Center
Central Nebraska Child Advocacy Center has had many accomplishments over the past couple of months that have brought their center to the public's awareness and have increased the level of services they provide to children and families across 10 counties in Nebraska.
On April 21, 2015, they had a luncheon with Dr. Tom Osborne and received great feedback. They also took part in a GoBigGive Campaign presented by Heartland United Way and Grand Island Community Foundation. During this 24 hour event they received many donations from unique donors in the amount of more than $3,000. On May 29, a nationally known speaker, Dr. Janet Rosenzweig spoke to 120+ multidisciplinary team members from across the state of Nebraska. This all day training was given at no cost to the attendees.
Central Nebraska Child Advocacy Center is an office of only four staff and one wonderful volunteer. In the past six months the quality of their services have vastly improved and they have spread the word of mandatory reporting effectively. They are looking forward to the growth in their future and to serving as many children as possible.
Way to Make a Difference!
Share your events and activities with Sue Bartlow
so we can highlight your CAC in the next In The Loop.
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How Parents Can Keep
Their Kids Safe Online
June is when most kids and teens begin summer vacation. That means more time to spend online, and it's typically from mobile devices. According to a recent Pew Research Center study, 88 percent of teens have a smartphone or feature phone and of these, 90 percent use their mobile device to go online at least once a day.
June also is National Online Safety Month, which means a fresh crop of tips for parents who want to make sure their kids stay safe. Two places to start are the National Children's Advocacy Center's (NCAC) website, and ConnectSafely.
NCAC Community Education Program Manager/Therapist, Beth Jackson, recommends that parents avoid scare tactics because they're ineffective. The same goes for forbidding this app or that website because that makes them even more tempting. Instead, Jackson recommends talking with kids and teens in a way that helps them understand how being impulsive has permanent consequences.
"Communicate that whether you're texting, on an app, or anything else, everything is public and permanent," Jackson says. "It's not scare tactics. It's taking that little extra step to think before they do something."
Another tip is to keep up with all of the apps, websites and other online services that kids and teens use. One way is by simply asking them what their friends use. Another way is to keep an eye out for news stories and then use those to guide discussions about the importance of making good decisions.
Parents also can take advantage of tools available from the companies that provide their wired and mobile broadband services. For example, Verizon's Family Safeguard & Controls gives parents a dashboard-style view of how their kids are using their mobile phones, as well as the ability to control their calling, messaging and data access.
The Internet also is a powerful new opportunity for parents to protect their kids, especially ones too young to have a cell phone. For example, the GizmoPal by LG is a wristwatch-style device for pre- to middle-school-age kids. GizmoPal uses GPS to report their whereabouts to an app that parents install on their smartphones. The device also has a button that kids simply press to make a call to their primary or secondary caregiver, and they can receive calls from two additional approved contacts.
Finally, don't be afraid to tell your kids when it's time to put away their phone or tablet for a while. They might actually thank you.
"Some research shows kids at times do want to be disconnected," Jackson says. "They feel a lot of pressure to have their phones or their tablets with them. Sometimes they want parents to be the bad guy: 'I couldn't respond because my mom took my phone.'"
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Quote of the Month
"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire
to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."
E.B. White
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Facility dogs at Children's Advocacy Centers and in Legal Proceedings: Best Practices
A growing number of Children's Advocacy Centers are incorporating dogs or other animals into their centers. There are a variety of approaches: comfort animals, therapy animals, and courthouse dogs. There are differences in the purpose, training, and use of these animals. Centers that are considering adding an animal should carefully consider how to incorporate the animal into their services. This manual, outlining recommended practices for integrating a facility dog into your CAC, was created in collaboration with Courthouse Dogs Foundation. This manual is located in CALiO™ Collections. Simply enter the title in the search box.
Understanding Victim Resistance: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Service Providers Working with Victims of Child Trafficking
The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of service providers working with victims of child trafficking. A grounded theory, qualitative methodology was employed for the study in which 15 providers working with the child trafficking population were interviewed at length. Interviews were then transcribed, coded for themes using Atlas data management software, and interpreted. Five specific areas of victim resistance were discussed including; "good" and "bad" victims, identification with the trafficker, victim self-identification, building trust with providers, and lack of empowerment. Social judgments of victim behaviors, inability to identify as a victim of abuse due to normalization of family of origin abuse and violence, the presence of complex trauma and lack of opportunity for self-determination in current services add to this overall resistance. This study is located in CALiO™ Collections. Simply enter the title in the search box.
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