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Christina Rainville, J.D.
Chief Deputy State’s Attorney
Bennington County
33
V.S.A. § 4913: “has reasonable cause to
believe that any child has been abused or
neglected”
Report must be made within 24 hours
$500 fine
If not reported “with the intent to conceal
abuse or neglect”: imprisonment up to 6
months
DO
NOT NEED TO KNOW WITH CERTAINTY
NOT YOUR JOB TO DETERMINE IF IT IS TRUE
LEAVE THE INVESTIGATION TO THE EXPERTS
BY MAKING THE CALL
YOUR INFORMATION IS JUST ONE PIECE OF
THE INVESTIGATION
CALL
IMMEDIATELY – DON’T WAIT 24 HOURS
ALL PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF ABUSE IS
FLEETING
BRUISES AND TEARS HEAL
SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE TYPICALLY GONE
WITHIN 72 HOURS
DCF WILL ACT QUICKLY TO REMOVE CHILD
FROM HOME IF THERE IS ABUSE AT HOME
DELAYED
DISCLOSURE IN SEXUAL ABUSE CASES
RESULTS IN ADDITIONAL SEXUAL ABUSE
ESCALATING PHYSICAL ABUSE LEADS TO MORE
SERIOUS INJURIES
TRAUMATIZED CHILDREN DEVELOP PTSD
MEDICAL RECORDS SHOW SIGNS
IN RETROSPECT, ABUSE SIGNS WERE ALL
THERE
DCF WAS NEVER CALLED
14
YEAR-OLD GIRL AT EMERGENCY ROOM
MOTHER AND STEP-FATHER WITH HER
VAGINAL BLEEDING, PAIN
HANGER PROTRUDING FROM HER VAGINA
GIRL REPORTS SHE WOKE UP THAT WAY AND
DOESN’T KNOW HOW IT GOT THERE
MEDICAL STAFF INQUIRES: IS SHE SEXUALLY
ACTIVE? CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL
PREGNANCY? DID SHE DO THIS HERSELF?
THEY REMOVE HANGER AND SEND HER HOME
WHY
DIDN’T THEY TAKE ME IN A ROOM AWAY
FROM MY PARENTS AND ASK ME WHAT
HAPPENED?
I WAS WAITING FOR THEM TO ASK ME ALONE
IF THEY HAD DONE THAT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN
SAFE
INSTEAD, THEY SENT ME HOME WITH HIM AND
HE CONTINUED TO ABUSE ME FOR YEARS
EVEN WORSE: HE REPEATEDLY SODOMIZED MY
YOUNG COUSINS
WHY DID THE DOCTORS FAIL US?
IN
ANY INJURY CASE WITH A VERBAL CHILD,
QUESTION THE CHILD OUTSIDE THE
PRESENCE OF CAREGIVERS
PARENTS CAN DO UNSPEAKABLE THINGS TO
CHILDREN: NEVER ASSUME IT WAS AN
ACCIDENT OR SELF-INFLICTED
CALL DCF
CHILD
HAS DRAMATIC WEIGHT LOSS AT WELLBABY CHECK
TWO SIBLINGS HAVE LOW/NORMAL WEIGHT
NO OBVIOUS MEDICAL REASON FOR SUDDEN
WEIGHT LOSS
DOCTOR ARRANGES FOR CHILD TO SEE
SPECIALIST AT DARTMOUTH ABOUT WEIGHT
LOSS
DCF NOT CALLED
CHILD SEEN AT WIC CENTER: NURSE AT STATE
HEALTH DEPARTMENT CALLS DCF ABOUT WEIGHT
FAMILY FRIEND CALLS DCF: REPORTS THAT CHILD
“HAS A POT BELLY LIKE STARVING KIDS IN HAITI”
FRIEND TELLS DCF THAT CAREGIVER NOT
ALLOWING CHILD TO EAT
INVESTIGATION BY DCF REVEALED THAT
CAREGIVER WAS INTENTIONALLY STARVING THIS
CHILD
SIBLINGS WERE UNDERWEIGHT, BUT OKAY
REPORT
ALL FAILURES TO THRIVE WHEN
THERE IS NO OBVIOUS MEDICAL CAUSE
DON’T WAIT TO SEE A SPECIALIST: CALL NOW
ALWAYS CONSIDER THAT PARENTAL ABUSE MAY
BE A CAUSE OF FAILURE TO THRIVE
LET DCF INVESTIGATE WHILE MEDICAL WORK
CONTINUES
9
YEAR OLD REFUSES TO GO TO COUSIN’S
HOUSE
TELLS MOM THAT OLDER COUSIN HAS BEEN
SODOMIZING HIM
FAMILY CONFRONTS COUSIN, WHO DENIES IT
MOM BRINGS 9 YEAR-OLD TO DOCTOR TO SEE
IF REPORT IS TRUE
DOCTOR MEETS WITH CHILD, DOES NO
INTERNAL EXAM, AND CONCLUDES THERE
WAS NO ABUSE
BASED
ON DOCTOR’S REPORT, FAMILY DECIDES
9 YEAR-OLD IS LYING
CONTINUED CONTACT WITH COUSIN RESULTS
IN ADDITIONAL ACTS OF ABUSE
FAMILY FRIEND CALLS DCF TO REPORT ABUSE
DCF INVESTIGATION REVEALS ALLEGATIONS
WERE TRUE
COUSIN CONFESSES
9 YEAR-OLD HAS PTSD
IN THE MEANTIME, COUSIN HAS ADDITIONAL
NON-RELATED VICTIM
IF
A PARENT SUSPECTS ABUSE, CALL DCF AND
GO NO FURTHER: THIS IS AN AREA OF
MEDICINE THAT REQUIRES A SPECIALIST
SEND THE CHILD TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A
SANE EXAM, OR TO DR. AVERY WOOD (OUR
COUNTY’S CERTIFIED SEXUAL ABUSE DOCTOR)
MEDICAL EXAMS MUST BE CONDUCTED BY
EXPERTS WHO CAN RETAIN EVIDENCE
ACCORDING TO LEGAL GUIDELINES
DO THIS IMMEDIATELY: EVIDENCE WILL BE
LOST
MOM
BRINGS CHILD TO DOCTOR
MOM SAYS CHILD FALLING A LOT
BRUISES ALL OVER HEAD
BRUISES ON UPPER ARMS
NO REPORT TO DCF
DAYCARE
CALLS DCF
DCF INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT BRUISES
CLEARLY WERE INFLICTED
MOM INITIALLY BLAMES DOCTOR (“THE
DOCTOR SAID HE WAS FINE”)
KNOW
WHAT INFLICTED BRUISES LOOK LIKE
CALL DCF IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION
DOCUMENT WHAT YOU SEE IN YOUR RECORDS
MEASURE BRUISES
PHOTOGRAPH BRUISES
DOCUMENT
THE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE
INJURIES
HOW DID THE CHILD FALL?
HOW HIGH WAS THE SURFACE?
BE
SPECIFIC AND DETAILED IN YOUR RECORDS
CHILDREN
WITH DISABILITIES ARE AT
ELEVATED RISK OF SEXUAL AND PHYSICAL
ABUSE
PHYSICAL ABUSE
BOYS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM
SEXUAL ABUSE:
AUTISM
DEAFNESS
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
ANY COMMUNICATIONS DISABILITY
90%
OF CHILDREN WHO ARE SEXUALLY
ASSAULTED DEVELOP PTSD
CHILDREN ALSO DEVELOP PTSD FROM
PHYSICAL ABUSE AND FROM WITNESSING
DOMESTIC ABUSE OF CAREGIVER
PTSD DIAGNOSIS REQUIRES A TRAUMA, BUT
CHILDREN DON’T DISCLOSE TRAUMATIC
EVENTS
CHILD WILL PRESENT WITH UNDIAGNOSED
PTSD SYMPTOMS IN YOUR OFFICE
INABILITY
TO FOCUS: DIAGNOSIS OF
ADD/ADHD
SLEEP DISTURBANCE: NEED PRESCRIPTION
MEDS
ANXIETY MEDS
FAINTING AND SUDDEN UNCONSCIOUSNESS
CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR NOTED BY PARENTS
UNPROVOKED AGGRESSION
WITHDRAWAL FROM ACTIVITIES
RUNNING OUT OF CLASS/SCHOOL
4
YEAR OLD BROUGHT TO FAMILY DOCTOR
SUDDEN DIFFICULTY SLEEPING: NEEDS SLEEP
MEDS
SUDDEN INABILITY TO FOCUS: NEEDS
ADD/ADHD MEDS
MONTHS LATER, MOM WALKS IN ON FATHER
SEXUALLY ASSAULTING THE CHILD
CHILD DIAGNOSED WITH PTSD MONTHS AFTER
MEDICAL VISIT
10
YEAR-OLD TAKEN TO ER, UNCONSCIOUS
HAPPENED WHEN MOM LOVINGLY TOUCHED
BACK OF HER NECK
TAKEN TO ER SECOND TIME: SAME THING
HAPPENED WHEN WRESTLING WITH BROTHER
AND HE TOUCHED HER NECK
PARENT REPORTS CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR:
SCREAMING NIGHTMARES, WITHDRAWAL,
SUDDEN AGGRESSION, VIOLENT
SENT TO NEUROLOGIST: NO MEDICAL CAUSE
CHILD LATER REPORTS VIOLENT RAPE
14
YEAR OLD GOES TO FAMILY DOCTOR
ADD MEDS NO LONGER WORKING: NEEDS
INCREASE
CAN’T SLEEP: NEEDS SLEEP MEDS
SENT TO DARTMOUTH FOR RECTAL BLEEDING
LATER, DEVELOPS “SUDDEN
UNCONSCIOUSNESS”
BOY EVENTUALLY DISCLOSES REPEATED
SEXUAL ABUSE
DIAGNOSED WITH PTSD
LOOK
FOR SIGNS OF PTSD AND CALL DCF IF
MORE THAN ONE:
LATE ONSET ADD/ADHD
SLEEP DISTURBANCE
CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR
OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER
AGGRESSION
WITHDRAWAL
DEPRESSION
CUTTING
FAINTING/LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
DCF
HAS MUCH MORE INFORMATION, FROM
MULTIPLE SOURCES
YOUR INFORMATION PLAYS AN IMPORTANT
PIECE IN THE OVERALL INVESTIGATION
A CALL TO DCF CAN PREVENT ABUSE AND
PREVENT MORE VICTIMS
NO ONE EVER REGRETS CALLING DCF: MANY
REGRET NOT CALLING