Child Abuse

1. Bruises in different stages of healing or on parts of the body where bruises are not common?
2. Lacerations, burns, fractures, or dislocation?
3. Bite marks, objects or pattern shaped injuries and/or abrasions?
4. Other indicators may be the child's fear of adult contact; poor  social skills, aggressive or acting out behavior, withdraw, fear of  returning home.
5. Not sleeping at night.
6. Drop in grades and school performance.
7. Excessive masturbation.
8. The child may offer some unbelievable explanation for injuries.

If you suspect abuse/neglect, or a child discloses to you: ask only these 4 questions.

1. What happened?
2. Who did this?
3. When did this happen?
4. Where did this happen?

Then contact law enforcement and make a report!

• One in three girls and one in five boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old.
• 94% of people who sexually abuse a child are family members.
• 12.3% of women were age 10 or younger at the time of their first  rape/victimization, and 30% of women were between the ages of 11 and 17.
• 27.8% of men were age 10 or younger at the time of their first rape/victimization.
• More than one-third of women who report being raped before age 18 also experience rape as an adult.
• 96% of people who sexually abuse children are male, and 76.8% of people who sexually abuse children are adults.
• 325,000 children are at risk of becoming victims of commercial child sexual exploitation each year.
• The average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution  is 12 to 14 years old, and the average age for boys is 11 to 13 years  old.

Last year, CACs provided child sexual abuse prevention education to 1.6 million individuals, many in school settings.

Their service delivery model saves court, child protection, and investigative dollars averaging $1,000 per child abuse case compared to non-CAC/FAC communities.

Providing significantly higher rates of coordinated investigations; 81 % of investigations in CACs/FAC's were coordinated between law enforcement and child protective services, compared with 52% in comparison communities.

Increased usage of CACs/FAC's and multidisciplinary teams has resulted in  increased successful prosecutions of child abuse perpetrators. One study  shows an average 94% conviction rate for CAC/FAC cases carried forward.

Child victims of sexual abuse who receive services at CACs/FAC's  are four times more likely to receive forensic medical exams and increased referrals for mental health treatment than children served by non-CAC/FAC communities.

Research demonstrates caregivers in CAC/FAC cases are more satisfied with  the investigation than those from non-CAC/FAC comparison sites. 97% of parents would tell others to seek help at the CAC/FAC.