# Who should report Child Abuse/Neglect?



## RareBird (Sep 11, 2010)

I encourage everyone to click the answer that is closed to how they believe. Thank you for taking the poll.

RareBird


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## L'Empereur (Jun 7, 2010)

The. . . victim? :mellow:


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## RareBird (Sep 11, 2010)

OcarinaOfRhyme said:


> The. . . victim? :mellow:


What if the victim is to young to know how to get help? Adults know how to get the help they need but children don't know anything about who to turn to or what to even say.


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## L'Empereur (Jun 7, 2010)

Touche. Anyone who knows about the abuse then.


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## pinkrasputin (Apr 13, 2009)

And anyone who may _believe_ someone is being abused. Child Protective Services will run an investigation. It will take a while.


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## Nearsification (Jan 3, 2010)

In my opinion reporting and taking action are 2 different things.

So I don't really agree with anything on this poll.


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## skycloud86 (Jul 15, 2009)

If someone believes that abuse is taking place, and has good reason to do so, they should not hesitate in reporting it.


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## RareBird (Sep 11, 2010)

Geno said:


> In my opinion reporting and taking action are 2 different things.
> 
> So I don't really agree with anything on this poll.


I was wondering who voted that they could care less. It was you!


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## Dalien (Jul 21, 2010)

How would one report subtle psychological abuse? 

How can one report if one is not sure?

What exactly determines child abuse? I know there will be a lot of responses to this question like: are you kidding, you don't know, you must be an idiot (the word you here meaning me). I ask for a reason. I want to know the fine lines. I know there are some.

Social Services is overwhelmed! Many children fall through the cracks. Doesn't there have to be proof. There are guidelines that the state implements.

How can you help a child that falls through the cracks should be asked!

I think one should have more knowledge before reporting anything! Except when there is life threatening circumstances.

All right, now I am ready for all the comments full of scorn.


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## AliSquirrel (Sep 2, 2010)

ANYONE can and should report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect. The more complaints CPS has, the stronger their case. So if the only person to complain is the baby sitter, while he/she may have seen more than anyone else, the background information will not be as complete as if the neighbor, the teacher, and the mailman all tell what they've witnessed. I work in afterschool programs and I have reported my suspicions of abuse to CPS on numerous occasions. I once reported an ex-boss based on a pattern of what could be seen as innocent behaviors with the children we worked with. (He isn't working there now...) Sometimes nothing happens and it can be frustrating (CPS in VA isn't the best) but sometimes you can be the difference between life and death for a child. I think the latter is worth the effort.


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## RareBird (Sep 11, 2010)

Dalien said:


> How would one report subtle psychological abuse?
> 
> How can one report if one is not sure?
> 
> ...


No scorn from me. You ask nice questions. Different people would answer these questions differently. Social Serves were not there for many of my clients. Some of these people endured years of abuse and not one person did a single thing to help. And they went through extreme abuse that should have been noticed by someone. One person had her toes smashed with a hammer by her father. Living in that home at that time was the mother, father and three older children. The were aunts and uncles visiting the house all the time as well as the child’s grandmother. Not one person did anything to help this person. I was ask the question "Why did no one help me?" and I with shame had no good answer. It broke my heart to be ask that question.


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## RareBird (Sep 11, 2010)

AliSquirrel said:


> ANYONE can and should report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect. The more complaints CPS has, the stronger their case. So if the only person to complain is the baby sitter, while he/she may have seen more than anyone else, the background information will not be as complete as if the neighbor, the teacher, and the mailman all tell what they've witnessed. I work in afterschool programs and I have reported my suspicions of abuse to CPS on numerous occasions. I once reported an ex-boss based on a pattern of what could be seen as innocent behaviors with the children we worked with. (He isn't working there now...) Sometimes nothing happens and it can be frustrating (CPS in VA isn't the best) but sometimes you can be the difference between life and death for a child. I think the latter is worth the effort.


Some of my clients would have loved to have you in their life. I agree fully that all and any abuse even if it is suspected should be reported. Maybe social services are overworked but if enough people report suspected abuse then it may compel them to at least spend time investigating the claims. And to a person that is going through abuse even the knowledge that someone cared to report is means a lot even if they could not stop the abuse. And you are right just one person reporting abuse could save the child’s life.


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## Dalien (Jul 21, 2010)

RareBird said:


> No scorn from me. You ask nice questions. Different people would answer these questions differently. Social Serves were not there for many of my clients. Some of these people endured years of abuse and not one person did a single thing to help. And they went through extreme abuse that should have been noticed by someone. One person had her toes smashed with a hammer by her father. Living in that home at that time was the mother, father and three older children. The were aunts and uncles visiting the house all the time as well as the child’s grandmother. Not one person did anything to help this person. I was ask the question "Why did no one help me?" and I with shame had no good answer. It broke my heart to be ask that question.


The only answer I know is fear.


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## RareBird (Sep 11, 2010)

Dalien said:


> The only answer I know is fear.



That is a good answer. I don't know how that would go over with my clients though.


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## Dalien (Jul 21, 2010)

For me, it is the only answer I understand. I came up with this on my own. I threw it out here, more or less, as food for thought. I know what it is like to be the one with the question "Why didn't someone help me?"


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## RareBird (Sep 11, 2010)

Dalien said:


> For me, it is the only answer I understand. I came up with this on my own. I threw it out here, more or less, as food for thought. I know what it is like to be the one with the question "Why didn't someone help me?"


I think in many cases that answer would work for some of my clients and if the abuse was limited to a few incidences. If the people around them were weak and prone to fear that might explain a lot.


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## Dalien (Jul 21, 2010)

RareBird said:


> I think in many cases that answer would work for some of my clients and if the abuse was limited to a few incidences. If the people around them were weak and prone to fear that might explain a lot.


Yes, it would explain for an entire family that was abused, no matter how many incidences for how long. No one talked not to each other or anyone else, except for me. I talked elsewhere. Always did and always will.,


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## pinkrasputin (Apr 13, 2009)

RareBird said:


> No scorn from me. You ask nice questions. Different people would answer these questions differently. Social Serves were not there for many of my clients. Some of these people endured years of abuse and not one person did a single thing to help. And they went through extreme abuse that should have been noticed by someone. One person had her toes smashed with a hammer by her father. Living in that home at that time was the mother, father and three older children. The were aunts and uncles visiting the house all the time as well as the child’s grandmother. Not one person did anything to help this person. I was ask the question "Why did no one help me?" and I with shame had no good answer. It broke my heart to be ask that question.


 Again I say as I said in your other thread: Many people who don't report were/are victims of abuse themselves. They don't realize what abuse is. Just as many abusers were abused themselves. 

Education about what is and isn't abuse is essential for everyone.


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## RareBird (Sep 11, 2010)

pinkrasputin said:


> Again I say as I said in your other thread: Many people who don't report were/are victims of abuse themselves. They don't realize what abuse is. Just as many abusers were abused themselves.
> 
> Education about what is and isn't abuse is essential for everyone.


I agree. People that have never been abused don't fully understand the affect of abuse. And each person is unique and needs special treatment to heal. You have many deep insights.


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## slotAtabB (Sep 11, 2010)

I'm a mandated reporter by profession and would encourage anyone to report known or suspected abuse. A CPS or APS investigation that turns out to be nothing is far preferable to continued abuse.

Suspicion that turns out to be unfounded isn't the problem with the CPS system being clogged. the problem is actually people who outright falsify reports. A common issue is exes who continually report each other as maltreating their kids as a way to get back at their former partner and assert control.


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