3 Things You Can Do to Prevent and Help Victims of Child Abuse

There doesn’t seem to be a day that goes by without news of another child, or group of children, being abused. Sometimes that abuse is within the family and other times it is a church …

3 Things You Can Do to Prevent and Help Victims of Child Abuse

There doesn’t seem to be a day that goes by without news of another child, or group of children, being abused. Sometimes that abuse is within the family and other times it is a church member, a group they belong to or even babysitters or schoolteachers. Sadly, being abused as a child is something that will likely stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Many adults who were abused as children develop various forms of mental illness to greater or lesser degrees. Sometimes abused children grow up to the abusers themselves. If you suspect that a child is being abused, here are some of the things you can do to prevent abuse going forward while helping those who have been victimized.

1. Report Suspected Abuse

The very first thing you must do as a responsible adult is to report suspected child abuse to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. The number is 800-25-ABUSE, 800-252-2873. It’s not a matter of ‘should’ you report suspected cases of child abuse, but rather it is your responsibility to make that call. You could be saving a life! However, there are times when report after report comes into the hotline until eventually there is proof enough to arrest the abuser.

At this point they will probably be found guilty, but the good news is, if anything can be even remotely good about child abuse, there is no statute of limitations on child sex abuse crimes since it was signed into law in 2017. It may be years before that felon is charged and found guilty, but then victims can finally be compensated.

2. Help Them Seek Compensation

At this point it would be in the best interest of the abused to seek an experienced child abuse lawyer to explain what types of compensation are available. They would also explain how the claims process works and what it would take to prove a claim even years after the abuse took place.

Claims can be filed against organizations and individuals and many professional people who work with children carry Abuse and Molestation coverage. It really takes an experienced attorney to find all the various claims that can be filed so that the maximum compensation can be awarded.

3. Urge Them to Seek Counseling

There is no denying the fact that children who have been abused in any way may face a lifetime of issues, both physical and emotional. The one thing you can do for them in the immediate future is to urge them to seek therapy.

As noted above, abused children often face a lifetime of emotional and psychological issues resulting from being abused. The earlier therapy is started, the easier it will be to help kids work through those issues. Often referred to as ‘baggage,’ imagine toting around a 50-pound suitcase for years. Eventually, your muscles will wear out. That’s what happens when abuse isn’t dealt with sooner. There will come a point when that child, now an adult, is simply unable to cope. You may not be a counselor, but you can help that child find one and that is something you can do today.