The children arrive every day.
"Monday we had 11 kids come in. Tuesday we had 10," said Char Rivette, chief executive officer of the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center. "Wednesday only six. Every day, brand new cases. I see them and think: How would this child feel if they thought they're being trivialized? Especially teenagers. How painful that is, to feel those feelings, being hurt so badly by multiple people throughout your life."
Hurt by being sexually abused. The few cases that enter the system — most are never reported — begin at the advocacy center at 1240 S. Damen Ave., a colorful facility designed to be comforting to young victims.
"We investigate all allegations of child sexual abuse in the City of Chicago, with the Chicago Police Department and DCFS," said Rivette. "We come together to make sure these kids are heard, and move forward with investigations. We interview kids, make sure they have everything they need. We also do education, outreach and prevention. We want to put ourselves out of business."
We were talking because, with the Epstein files straddling the news, a salacious national scandal of the rich and powerful, and pedophilia now a casually flung political slur, I began to wonder how this affects people working in the trenches every day trying to help anonymous children who have been molested. I reached out to Rivette and asked how this affects her ability to do her job.
"Two things," she said. First: "I sigh, because this is a problem that has been historically huge in the world, especially in the United States. Then it gets sensationalized. We've been hearing about Epstein for years and years, and it can be really distracting from what happens. The sensationalism it creates in the media makes victims even more reluctant to come forward, because it doesn't feel safe. They're afraid they're not going to be believed, and nothing is going to change. ... This Epstein thing makes it seem more scary."
Second, she realizes: "OK, here's an opportunity to bring this to the forefront. I try to see it as an opportunity to educate."
So let's educate. What do people need to know?
Child sex abuse is common.
"One in four women report being sexually abused as kids," she said. "It's just so underreported."
The assailants are not jet-set real estate millionaires who sweet talk victims off playgrounds.
"The stats are that 90, 95 percent of children know their abuser," said Rivette. "A lot of those folks are relatives or people close to the family. Mom's boyfriend. A neighbor. Older cousins. That's far more problematic than being trafficked by a stranger or being picked up on the street. ... We see up to 2,000 cases a year here. There are kids coming in because of dad, cousin, uncle, boyfriend. That is the primary perpetrator. That is where we need to focus our energies."
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Thanks for writing about the children. Children’s Advocacy is a great organization. They speak for the child who is not heard anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteThank you for making us aware of this wonderful organization. We can, of course, make donations via their website; which I’ve promptly done.
ReplyDeleteVery important issue in my opinion. thanks for giving time to it without sensationalizing the epstein saga.
ReplyDeleteChar is fairly spot on with the narrative but lets not forget young boys are often the victims of abuse. oft times being the victim of abuse leads to being an abuser.
of course more times than not boys and men do the abusing. my experience volunteering for juvenile courts of cook county showed that women can pimp out their kids and some perpetrate abusive behavior. re gislaine Maxwell.
Its important to remember abuse is infused with a power dynamic combined with the sexual aspect . Sexual abuse is a crime of violence.
As a mentor and coach I found protecting children to be most efficacious when adults work in groups vetting other participants , working with kids in pairs where you are never alone with a kid and the children are always in groups, at least pairs when interacting with you.
Sadly these children would after programs have to go back to an abusive home. the courts often keep families intact at the expense of their safety. a whole other issue
"Believe the children."
ReplyDeleteThat last sentence is the whole thing.
But why would we think the authorities, mostly male, will believe the word of children when they so manifestly do not believe the words of adult women? The Epstein scandal, growing with every revelation of a famous man named in the files, would never have reached its current level if authorities has listened to and actually heard the accusations of young girls and women. In this sick society, children and women are disposable once used.
Yes Lynne most abusers are men. All men are not abusers.
ReplyDeleteI raised Three sons who were constantly instructed and reminded about proper consensual behavior by both their mother and me.
I know many fine men who have raised responsible children . There are sick people in society we see it everywhere not just in news stories about wealthy powerful people.
All men do not suffer from this sickness the vast majority of men do not.
I and many of us understand the damage that has been done to so many young people both girls and boys by these predators
Make it clear to your representatives that plea bargaining in sexual predator cases must be abolished.
A rapist should not be put on probation because they plead guilty to a lesser offense and be back out on the street soon after their arrest to abuse others.
There are many women that are government officials and elected representatives, judges , prosecutors and police officers.
Children are the last class of people without rights. It is our responsibility to make sure that they are protected all of us men and women. We are failing these children most of whom are powerless to protect themselves.
Of course not all men are abusers. There should be no necessity to say that.
DeleteBut there is a need to say that..
DeleteAnti-man sentiment is rampant. Especially anti white man