Child Protect Awards & Press
Congratulations
to Child Protect's
Executive Director, Kristin Roy
for being presented as one of
Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama
"Leading Ladies."
Congratulations
to Jean Drummond, Child Protect Executive Board Member
for being recognized as one of the MACOA, Montgomery Area Council On Aging,
"SENIORS OF ACHEIVEMENT" for her Lifetime of Service and Giving.
to Jean Drummond, Child Protect Executive Board Member
for being recognized as one of the MACOA, Montgomery Area Council On Aging,
"SENIORS OF ACHEIVEMENT" for her Lifetime of Service and Giving.
Child Protect Executive Director, Jannah Bailey gives the Commencement Address to the Auburn University of Montgomery's Graduating Class of December 2022.
Child Protect, Citizen of the Year — Philanthropy
By Darlene Hutchinson Biehl and Helen Herndon
Photography by Maria Wiggins
January 2017
Pictured: Back Row: Staff members Laurel Teel, Cammie Blackmon, Junior Board Member Suzanna Wasserman, staff members Kristin Byrd and Emily Hutcheson. Front Row: Willow the therapy dog, staffer Tamara Martin and Executive Director Jannah Bailey
It’s a tough subject to think about. But the trauma of abuse is even worse for a child to experience. Across central Alabama, children suffer everyday from both sexual and physical abuse at the hands of those they love and trust. Even after these crimes are reported, the young victims must face the painful process of telling their stories, learn to cope with the long-term effects, and navigate the criminal justice process. The goal of the staff of Child Protect is to minimize the trauma a victim endures.
Recognized as a 501(c)3 non profit organization, the agency does not charge for its services.
Executive Director, Jannah Bailey points out that the agency is not duplicating any services offered by other agencies. At Child Protect, a specially trained forensic interviewer talks to the child to learn about the incident(s). A video is created to reduce the number of officials to to whom the victim must repeat the awful events, thus reducing the agony created by retelling the incident time and again throughout the legal process.
The evidence gathered during the forensic interview is then turned over to prosecutors. Going a step further, Child Protect also provides advocacy and support for the child and family throughout the criminal justice process. As a matter of fact, most Child Protect employees agree that its counseling service is one of the most integral aspects of the agency.
Emily Hutcheson, a Forensic Interviewer and Counselor points out that follow-up counseling is extremely important to the whole process. “Abuse affects children the rest of their lives. Children of abuse are more likely to offend themselves if they do not get help to heal.” And Ms. Bailey adds, “Eighty percent of boys seventy-five percent of girls, when there was no intervention, end up in very negative behaviors.”
Cammie Blackmon, Family Advocate and Office Manager is the friendly face that greets the victims as they first walk through the doors and she is by there side throughout the process. She too stresses the importance of counseling, “The ability the children have to get free counseling — the counseling they need — means that they are more likely to be productive citizens one day.”
“That’s why having an agency like this within your own community is so important,” continues Ms. Blackmon as she explains they are in the process of opening satellite offices in Prattville and Wetumpka. “Family’s are more than likely to come for the follow-up they need if they have a center nearby.”
Employees of Child Protect answer calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and Bailey points out the calls involve “girls and boys from every ZIP code. Abuse knows no boundaries, race, religion, or socioeconomic make-up.”
A
ccording to Kristin Byrd, Forensic Interviewer and Counselor and employee for three years, abuse happens more than we realize. That makes Child Protect an invaluable resource for the community — but one you also hope you never have to use.
Alabama congressman Bud Cramer had been a prosecutor and saw first hand the traumatization of children having to repeatedly tell their stories. He recognized the need for a child advocacy center and in 1984 introduced the concept and a year later the first facility of its kind was established in Huntsville. The next year the Alabama Legislature passed legislation designating the Huntsville location a pilot program. Federal grants helped fund the facility and eventually a network of children’s advocacy centers was created, as Alabama led the nation in the development of these programs. Ms. Bailey’s husband was on Child Protect’s founding board in 1989 and Jannah joined as Executive Director in 2001.
In December four years later Child Protect was able to purchase the property adjacent to their building on South Perry. Future plans include a playground and more offices for multidisciplinary team members.
Suzannah Wasserman, Junior Board Vice President, sings the praises of Child Protect and its employees. “These people are so loving. I could not imagine going through the kind of trauma these kids do and then having to talk to the police or lawyers. Instead, they are able to talk to people like Kristin and Jannah who live their lives for this agency and the children it represents.”
Ms. Bailey admits to waking up and asking God, “Is this where I’m supposed to be?” The answer is, “Yes.” Growing up herself with some domestic violence and child abuse gives her a special empathy for its victims. She admits that the job is not always easy and that at times often it’s necessary to compartmentalize; but at the same she time confesses that some incidents just haunt her as cases affect her differently.
“On the lowest days when we question if we are really making a difference, that’s when a child sends an email that says I graduated from high school or a family says they’ve never been treated so nicely. The other thing that drives me is the staff. They come in so selflessly not knowing what they are going to face, whether at 8 a.m. or 2 a.m. inquiring, ‘How can we serve?’ ”
Often, people question Ms. Bailey about how she can do what she does. Ms. Bailey asks, “How can I not?”
By Darlene Hutchinson Biehl and Helen Herndon
Photography by Maria Wiggins
January 2017
Pictured: Back Row: Staff members Laurel Teel, Cammie Blackmon, Junior Board Member Suzanna Wasserman, staff members Kristin Byrd and Emily Hutcheson. Front Row: Willow the therapy dog, staffer Tamara Martin and Executive Director Jannah Bailey
It’s a tough subject to think about. But the trauma of abuse is even worse for a child to experience. Across central Alabama, children suffer everyday from both sexual and physical abuse at the hands of those they love and trust. Even after these crimes are reported, the young victims must face the painful process of telling their stories, learn to cope with the long-term effects, and navigate the criminal justice process. The goal of the staff of Child Protect is to minimize the trauma a victim endures.
Recognized as a 501(c)3 non profit organization, the agency does not charge for its services.
Executive Director, Jannah Bailey points out that the agency is not duplicating any services offered by other agencies. At Child Protect, a specially trained forensic interviewer talks to the child to learn about the incident(s). A video is created to reduce the number of officials to to whom the victim must repeat the awful events, thus reducing the agony created by retelling the incident time and again throughout the legal process.
The evidence gathered during the forensic interview is then turned over to prosecutors. Going a step further, Child Protect also provides advocacy and support for the child and family throughout the criminal justice process. As a matter of fact, most Child Protect employees agree that its counseling service is one of the most integral aspects of the agency.
Emily Hutcheson, a Forensic Interviewer and Counselor points out that follow-up counseling is extremely important to the whole process. “Abuse affects children the rest of their lives. Children of abuse are more likely to offend themselves if they do not get help to heal.” And Ms. Bailey adds, “Eighty percent of boys seventy-five percent of girls, when there was no intervention, end up in very negative behaviors.”
Cammie Blackmon, Family Advocate and Office Manager is the friendly face that greets the victims as they first walk through the doors and she is by there side throughout the process. She too stresses the importance of counseling, “The ability the children have to get free counseling — the counseling they need — means that they are more likely to be productive citizens one day.”
“That’s why having an agency like this within your own community is so important,” continues Ms. Blackmon as she explains they are in the process of opening satellite offices in Prattville and Wetumpka. “Family’s are more than likely to come for the follow-up they need if they have a center nearby.”
Employees of Child Protect answer calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and Bailey points out the calls involve “girls and boys from every ZIP code. Abuse knows no boundaries, race, religion, or socioeconomic make-up.”
A
ccording to Kristin Byrd, Forensic Interviewer and Counselor and employee for three years, abuse happens more than we realize. That makes Child Protect an invaluable resource for the community — but one you also hope you never have to use.
Alabama congressman Bud Cramer had been a prosecutor and saw first hand the traumatization of children having to repeatedly tell their stories. He recognized the need for a child advocacy center and in 1984 introduced the concept and a year later the first facility of its kind was established in Huntsville. The next year the Alabama Legislature passed legislation designating the Huntsville location a pilot program. Federal grants helped fund the facility and eventually a network of children’s advocacy centers was created, as Alabama led the nation in the development of these programs. Ms. Bailey’s husband was on Child Protect’s founding board in 1989 and Jannah joined as Executive Director in 2001.
In December four years later Child Protect was able to purchase the property adjacent to their building on South Perry. Future plans include a playground and more offices for multidisciplinary team members.
Suzannah Wasserman, Junior Board Vice President, sings the praises of Child Protect and its employees. “These people are so loving. I could not imagine going through the kind of trauma these kids do and then having to talk to the police or lawyers. Instead, they are able to talk to people like Kristin and Jannah who live their lives for this agency and the children it represents.”
Ms. Bailey admits to waking up and asking God, “Is this where I’m supposed to be?” The answer is, “Yes.” Growing up herself with some domestic violence and child abuse gives her a special empathy for its victims. She admits that the job is not always easy and that at times often it’s necessary to compartmentalize; but at the same she time confesses that some incidents just haunt her as cases affect her differently.
“On the lowest days when we question if we are really making a difference, that’s when a child sends an email that says I graduated from high school or a family says they’ve never been treated so nicely. The other thing that drives me is the staff. They come in so selflessly not knowing what they are going to face, whether at 8 a.m. or 2 a.m. inquiring, ‘How can we serve?’ ”
Often, people question Ms. Bailey about how she can do what she does. Ms. Bailey asks, “How can I not?”
New Child Protect facility honors fallen cop By Andrew Yawn
The construction of Child Protect’s new Rian Rider Annex building began Tuesday with the destruction of the building previously occupying the lot next door. What used to be a Care Ambulance Clinic had, in recent years, become a haunt for vagrants and a parking lot for stolen cars, according to Child Protect Executive Director Jannah Bailey.
Already planning to expand, Child Protect purchased the property in December 2015. Now with demolition completed Wednesday, the child advocacy center is that much closer to expanding its space. “Just having it down clears it up so much,” Bailey said. “It looks great.” Development Director Laurel Teel and other employees stood outside Tuesday as the crane tore chunks of wood, roofing and sheet rock from the former clinic. Teel said the Rian Rider Annex is special, because it will carry on the legacy of deceased former Montgomery police investigator Rian Rider. Rider investigated child abuse and domestic abuse cases and was one of Child Protect’s fiercest allies. He died in 2014 after saving his 12-year-old niece from a rip current and getting caught in it himself. “He was an investigator with the MPD, and he used to work our child abuse cases, so we’re just honoring him,” Teel said.
Demolition of the building next door to Child Protect paves the way for its new Rian Rider Annex expansion. Bailey said the plan for the annex is to be a multidisciplinary team facility. Child Protect works with several entities – Department of Human Resources, prosecutors, Family Sunshine Center, Family Justice Center and many more – on child abuse cases. Child Protect’s role is to help law enforcement get statements from the children, as well as provide free counseling for them.
While the expansion means more space for the numerous departments to meet, Bailey has plans to use the extra space to grow Child Protect’s child counseling services. A playground – including a basketball court – is planned for the property, and one employee, Abraham White, has floated the idea of building a kitchen to have “counseling by cooking” available.
To Bailey, the Rian Rider Annex will help Child Protect expand counseling services and further serve the city. The fact that it’s honoring the annex’s namesake makes it that much more special. “It will be a legacy for him and what he did to fight child abuse,” Bailey said.
The construction of Child Protect’s new Rian Rider Annex building began Tuesday with the destruction of the building previously occupying the lot next door. What used to be a Care Ambulance Clinic had, in recent years, become a haunt for vagrants and a parking lot for stolen cars, according to Child Protect Executive Director Jannah Bailey.
Already planning to expand, Child Protect purchased the property in December 2015. Now with demolition completed Wednesday, the child advocacy center is that much closer to expanding its space. “Just having it down clears it up so much,” Bailey said. “It looks great.” Development Director Laurel Teel and other employees stood outside Tuesday as the crane tore chunks of wood, roofing and sheet rock from the former clinic. Teel said the Rian Rider Annex is special, because it will carry on the legacy of deceased former Montgomery police investigator Rian Rider. Rider investigated child abuse and domestic abuse cases and was one of Child Protect’s fiercest allies. He died in 2014 after saving his 12-year-old niece from a rip current and getting caught in it himself. “He was an investigator with the MPD, and he used to work our child abuse cases, so we’re just honoring him,” Teel said.
Demolition of the building next door to Child Protect paves the way for its new Rian Rider Annex expansion. Bailey said the plan for the annex is to be a multidisciplinary team facility. Child Protect works with several entities – Department of Human Resources, prosecutors, Family Sunshine Center, Family Justice Center and many more – on child abuse cases. Child Protect’s role is to help law enforcement get statements from the children, as well as provide free counseling for them.
While the expansion means more space for the numerous departments to meet, Bailey has plans to use the extra space to grow Child Protect’s child counseling services. A playground – including a basketball court – is planned for the property, and one employee, Abraham White, has floated the idea of building a kitchen to have “counseling by cooking” available.
To Bailey, the Rian Rider Annex will help Child Protect expand counseling services and further serve the city. The fact that it’s honoring the annex’s namesake makes it that much more special. “It will be a legacy for him and what he did to fight child abuse,” Bailey said.
What parents need to know about "Facebook After Dark" by Roslyn Giles
(WTVM) -The Columbus Police Department’s sex crimes unit is sounding the alarm for parents on dangerous social media sites that could cause a world of trouble for teens and adolescents.
'Facebook After Dark' is among the sites Lt. Joyce Dent-Fitzpatrick said parents need to be aware of and the consequences associated the browsing on that webpage.
The site consists of dark places in the sexual world that are very illicit and explicit sexual connotations, according to Dent-Fitzpatrick.
“You will have children enticed to that and adult pedophiles pose as an 11-year-old , 12-year-old boy, what have you,” stated Fitzpatrick.
The adult lures the child into exchanging nude pictures with the intention of eventually try to make more demands on the teen coupled with threats.
“Then that adult says to the child, 'if you don’t take this picture in a compromising position, I am going to notify your parents.' So now the child is being blackmailed to send more pictures, which is a crime; now we have the task of going into a cyberspace and finding this person and that person could be in Chicago,” explained Dent-Fitzpatrick.
She also says the problem is becoming more prevalent in the Columbus, Phenix City and Fort Benning area because of the kid’s access to smartphones.
Other sites like Kik, Snapchat, Instagram and 4 Chan all provide opportunities for inappropriate contact between adults and teens. However, there are ways to prevent your child from engaging in contact with adults online.
“You should use blocks if you don’t want them to go on the internet or text. Go to your cell phone carrier to inquire about setting up the blocks,” added Dent-Fitzpatrick.
Copyright WTVM 2016. All rights reserved.
(WTVM) -The Columbus Police Department’s sex crimes unit is sounding the alarm for parents on dangerous social media sites that could cause a world of trouble for teens and adolescents.
'Facebook After Dark' is among the sites Lt. Joyce Dent-Fitzpatrick said parents need to be aware of and the consequences associated the browsing on that webpage.
The site consists of dark places in the sexual world that are very illicit and explicit sexual connotations, according to Dent-Fitzpatrick.
“You will have children enticed to that and adult pedophiles pose as an 11-year-old , 12-year-old boy, what have you,” stated Fitzpatrick.
The adult lures the child into exchanging nude pictures with the intention of eventually try to make more demands on the teen coupled with threats.
“Then that adult says to the child, 'if you don’t take this picture in a compromising position, I am going to notify your parents.' So now the child is being blackmailed to send more pictures, which is a crime; now we have the task of going into a cyberspace and finding this person and that person could be in Chicago,” explained Dent-Fitzpatrick.
She also says the problem is becoming more prevalent in the Columbus, Phenix City and Fort Benning area because of the kid’s access to smartphones.
Other sites like Kik, Snapchat, Instagram and 4 Chan all provide opportunities for inappropriate contact between adults and teens. However, there are ways to prevent your child from engaging in contact with adults online.
“You should use blocks if you don’t want them to go on the internet or text. Go to your cell phone carrier to inquire about setting up the blocks,” added Dent-Fitzpatrick.
Copyright WTVM 2016. All rights reserved.
Montgomery mom accused of abusing, medically neglecting daughter
August 10, 2015
By: WSFA News Staff
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - A 23-year-old Montgomery mother was arrested over the weekend after her 1-year-old daughter was found with multiple injuries that were left untreated, according to court documents.
According to jail records, Miriam Kameeche Belser was charged with aggravated child abuse Saturday.
Belser's daughter suffered multiple injuries including leg fractures, skin injuries believed to be from fingernails, a brain hemorrhage, multiple facial and neck bruises and a hymenal injury over an extended period of time, according to court documents.
Authorities say Belser didn't seek medical treatment for her daughter until the 1-year-old suffered burns to 8 percent of her body. That's when doctors discovered the other injuries.
The child was transferred to Children's of Alabama in Birmingham for more testing and evaluation.
Child Protect is now involved with the investigation. Executive Director Jannah Bailey says the aggravated child abuse charge means the abuse was ongoing. She said this is one of the worst physical abuse cases she's ever been involved with.
Child Protect will continue to investigate to determine if any of the victim's siblings were abused.
Belser's bond was set at $30,000.
The Montgomery Police Department and Alabama Department of Human Resources are investigating the case. DHR has declined to comment, which is standard policy in cases involving children.
Copyright 2015 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.
August 10, 2015
By: WSFA News Staff
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - A 23-year-old Montgomery mother was arrested over the weekend after her 1-year-old daughter was found with multiple injuries that were left untreated, according to court documents.
According to jail records, Miriam Kameeche Belser was charged with aggravated child abuse Saturday.
Belser's daughter suffered multiple injuries including leg fractures, skin injuries believed to be from fingernails, a brain hemorrhage, multiple facial and neck bruises and a hymenal injury over an extended period of time, according to court documents.
Authorities say Belser didn't seek medical treatment for her daughter until the 1-year-old suffered burns to 8 percent of her body. That's when doctors discovered the other injuries.
The child was transferred to Children's of Alabama in Birmingham for more testing and evaluation.
Child Protect is now involved with the investigation. Executive Director Jannah Bailey says the aggravated child abuse charge means the abuse was ongoing. She said this is one of the worst physical abuse cases she's ever been involved with.
Child Protect will continue to investigate to determine if any of the victim's siblings were abused.
Belser's bond was set at $30,000.
The Montgomery Police Department and Alabama Department of Human Resources are investigating the case. DHR has declined to comment, which is standard policy in cases involving children.
Copyright 2015 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.
Possible warning signs of child abuse
June 10, 2015
By: Sally Pitts
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - In the last week, we have unfortunately reported on at least five child abuse cases. Child Protect sees 500 children who are victims of abuse every year. Executive Director Janna Bailey says they are seeing more and more horrific cases.
"In the summer, it's weird because when kids are not in school, a lot of times things don't get reported as much," Bailey said.
That's why she says its important for us all to be the eyes and ears of children.
"As family members and as neighbors, just people that care for kids, we need to look out for them and make sure they are safe," Bailey said.
There are warning signs that a child is being abused. Signs of physical abuse include unexplained bruises, welts, cigarette and rope burns. Children may be withdrawn, aggressive or depressed, and expressing fear towards the abuser.
"If you are use to seeing a child playing in the front yard or out with your kids and then all of a sudden a couple of days go by, you know the people are home, but you don't see that child, take it upon yourself to knock on the door and say 'Hey, I haven't seen Susie out playing. Just wanted to check and make sure everything is okay," says Bailey.
Bailey adds other signs could be, "If they seem to be very clingy and they are at your house and playing and mom and dad comes to get them or some other family member and they don't want to go."
Unlike physical abuse victims, Bailey says there's often no physical evidence in a sex abuse case.
Experts say if a child is sucking his thumb, wetting the bed, having nightmares or an inappropriate interest in sex, he might be a victim of sexual abuse.
"A lot of times with sex abuse, it's going to be the behavior of a child," Bailey said. "If the child is acting out at another child sexually or says things and you overhear it that are inappropriate for their age."
If you see any of these warning signs, Bailey says speak up and alert authorities. She says you can always call child protect at 262-1220. Visit
Child Protect's website for more resources.
If you are a parent who is feeling stressed and fear you may harm your child, there's also help available for you. Call Alabama's Parenting Assistance Line at 1-866-962-3030. You can also find tips on the PALS website.
June 10, 2015
By: Sally Pitts
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - In the last week, we have unfortunately reported on at least five child abuse cases. Child Protect sees 500 children who are victims of abuse every year. Executive Director Janna Bailey says they are seeing more and more horrific cases.
"In the summer, it's weird because when kids are not in school, a lot of times things don't get reported as much," Bailey said.
That's why she says its important for us all to be the eyes and ears of children.
"As family members and as neighbors, just people that care for kids, we need to look out for them and make sure they are safe," Bailey said.
There are warning signs that a child is being abused. Signs of physical abuse include unexplained bruises, welts, cigarette and rope burns. Children may be withdrawn, aggressive or depressed, and expressing fear towards the abuser.
"If you are use to seeing a child playing in the front yard or out with your kids and then all of a sudden a couple of days go by, you know the people are home, but you don't see that child, take it upon yourself to knock on the door and say 'Hey, I haven't seen Susie out playing. Just wanted to check and make sure everything is okay," says Bailey.
Bailey adds other signs could be, "If they seem to be very clingy and they are at your house and playing and mom and dad comes to get them or some other family member and they don't want to go."
Unlike physical abuse victims, Bailey says there's often no physical evidence in a sex abuse case.
Experts say if a child is sucking his thumb, wetting the bed, having nightmares or an inappropriate interest in sex, he might be a victim of sexual abuse.
"A lot of times with sex abuse, it's going to be the behavior of a child," Bailey said. "If the child is acting out at another child sexually or says things and you overhear it that are inappropriate for their age."
If you see any of these warning signs, Bailey says speak up and alert authorities. She says you can always call child protect at 262-1220. Visit
Child Protect's website for more resources.
If you are a parent who is feeling stressed and fear you may harm your child, there's also help available for you. Call Alabama's Parenting Assistance Line at 1-866-962-3030. You can also find tips on the PALS website.
Letter from Executive Director of Child Protect, Jannah Bailey
Date: August 2012
Dear Friends:
I thought it was going to be hard to find the right words for this important appeal for help letter but, as I answered the emergency call this Sunday afternoon at 2:15, I couldn't get the words on paper fast enough. I am now sitting in the waiting room at Child Protect with 4 children who witnessed the mother of 3 of the children committing a horrific crime that will emotionally scar these innocent children forever. My plans for this beautiful summer Sunday quickly took a back seat as they so often do for all of us who have the privilege of serving abused children in our community.
Answering the call is just what we do, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over 600 times each year; girls and boys from every zip code. Abuse knows no boundaries, race, religion, or socioeconomic make up. It affects us all. 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys will be sexually abused by their 18th birthday and of the 600 children we serve each year, 98% of those allegations are sexual abuse. The other 2% being severe physical abuse and witnesses to crimes such as murder, rape, domestic violence and abuse of a younger child yet to find a voice.
In the following weeks after Penn State Coach Sandusky was found guilty of multiple charges of child sex abuse, Child Protect saw an increase of 36% children served over the same time period last year. We realized that others were answering the call by listening to a child, believing a child and reporting their suspicions. Reporting is not easy for anyone, we hear the excuses all the time: "It's not my business", "It was probably just one time, no harm done", "The child(ren) is not around that person anymore", "We don't want to offend anyone", "That person is such an upstanding citizen, they could never…." and the list goes on. But we applaud those who take that extra step on behalf of a child.
Our annual budget is about $375,000 with a staff of 6 serving 4 counties in central Alabama and approximately 600 child abuse victims. We estimate it costs approximately $125 per child for the initial forensic interview but every dollar that Child Protect receives goes to the direct service of these children.
How will YOU answer the call and leave your handprint on the heart of a child, they are counting on you. "One hundred years from now… it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child…"
For the children,
Jannah
Date: August 2012
Dear Friends:
I thought it was going to be hard to find the right words for this important appeal for help letter but, as I answered the emergency call this Sunday afternoon at 2:15, I couldn't get the words on paper fast enough. I am now sitting in the waiting room at Child Protect with 4 children who witnessed the mother of 3 of the children committing a horrific crime that will emotionally scar these innocent children forever. My plans for this beautiful summer Sunday quickly took a back seat as they so often do for all of us who have the privilege of serving abused children in our community.
Answering the call is just what we do, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over 600 times each year; girls and boys from every zip code. Abuse knows no boundaries, race, religion, or socioeconomic make up. It affects us all. 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys will be sexually abused by their 18th birthday and of the 600 children we serve each year, 98% of those allegations are sexual abuse. The other 2% being severe physical abuse and witnesses to crimes such as murder, rape, domestic violence and abuse of a younger child yet to find a voice.
In the following weeks after Penn State Coach Sandusky was found guilty of multiple charges of child sex abuse, Child Protect saw an increase of 36% children served over the same time period last year. We realized that others were answering the call by listening to a child, believing a child and reporting their suspicions. Reporting is not easy for anyone, we hear the excuses all the time: "It's not my business", "It was probably just one time, no harm done", "The child(ren) is not around that person anymore", "We don't want to offend anyone", "That person is such an upstanding citizen, they could never…." and the list goes on. But we applaud those who take that extra step on behalf of a child.
Our annual budget is about $375,000 with a staff of 6 serving 4 counties in central Alabama and approximately 600 child abuse victims. We estimate it costs approximately $125 per child for the initial forensic interview but every dollar that Child Protect receives goes to the direct service of these children.
How will YOU answer the call and leave your handprint on the heart of a child, they are counting on you. "One hundred years from now… it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child…"
For the children,
Jannah
Sandusky case brings forward Montgomery sex abuse victims
By Melissa McKinney - WSFA
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - In Pennsylvania, the Jerry Sandusky case is now in the hands of the jury.
While in Alabama, there's a renewed effort to fight child sex abuse. Reports of sex abuse cases in Montgomery have skyrocketed. According to the directors at Child Protect, they're investigating 80 more cases of sex abuse than this time last year.
While the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case continues to unfold, one thing is clear to Child Protect Director Jannah Bailey. "We see the numbers go up because maybe they start questioning things that maybe they've ignored in the past." Bailey attributes the 80 additional local cases to the national exposure child sex abuse is receiving from the Sandusky case. She believes it gives others the courage to come forward. 32 more the week that it came out. And that is normal for a national case." Bailey says often times young children are the first to get help--perhaps because the fear of embarrassment isn't as strong. "A 10-year old will come and say my grandfather did this to me and some other older cousins at that point will come out and say he did that to me," adds Bailey.
And even though the cases in Montgomery are hundreds of miles from Penn State University and State College, Pennsylvania, Bailey sees distinct similarities between Sandusky's alleged victims and those closer to home.
"Most of the time the offender is telling them this is a secret, you don't need to tell anyone about it, or they're threatening them. If you tell, I'm gonna get in trouble. If you tell I'm gonna kill you," says Bailey.
She says the increase in cases has put a strain on Child Protect. But she's thankful the national exposure has prompted people to speak out about sex abuse. She asks anyone who has been the victim of child abuse to please come forward by contacting the police.
Copyright 2012 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.
By Melissa McKinney - WSFA
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - In Pennsylvania, the Jerry Sandusky case is now in the hands of the jury.
While in Alabama, there's a renewed effort to fight child sex abuse. Reports of sex abuse cases in Montgomery have skyrocketed. According to the directors at Child Protect, they're investigating 80 more cases of sex abuse than this time last year.
While the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case continues to unfold, one thing is clear to Child Protect Director Jannah Bailey. "We see the numbers go up because maybe they start questioning things that maybe they've ignored in the past." Bailey attributes the 80 additional local cases to the national exposure child sex abuse is receiving from the Sandusky case. She believes it gives others the courage to come forward. 32 more the week that it came out. And that is normal for a national case." Bailey says often times young children are the first to get help--perhaps because the fear of embarrassment isn't as strong. "A 10-year old will come and say my grandfather did this to me and some other older cousins at that point will come out and say he did that to me," adds Bailey.
And even though the cases in Montgomery are hundreds of miles from Penn State University and State College, Pennsylvania, Bailey sees distinct similarities between Sandusky's alleged victims and those closer to home.
"Most of the time the offender is telling them this is a secret, you don't need to tell anyone about it, or they're threatening them. If you tell, I'm gonna get in trouble. If you tell I'm gonna kill you," says Bailey.
She says the increase in cases has put a strain on Child Protect. But she's thankful the national exposure has prompted people to speak out about sex abuse. She asks anyone who has been the victim of child abuse to please come forward by contacting the police.
Copyright 2012 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.
Column: How to fight child abuse
By R.A. Dickey and Grier Weeks
Date: August, 28, 2012
If there is one image from the Penn State scandal that should haunt our American memory, it's not Joe Paterno's fall, Jerry Sandusky's grinning face or the specter of what former assistant football coach Mike McQueary saw.
It's the little boys who came out to the game with them with hair combed and jerseys on, sitting in the stands, filled with excitement, hope and trust. These boys are only the latest to suffer. For centuries, adults who preyed on children hid in the shadows. For every sexual predator witnessed in the act by an outsider such as McQueary, there were thousands who walked among us unsuspected and untouched.
Then the advent of the Internet dramatically changed this. Individuals with a sexual attraction to children began surfacing en masse, as they went online to do what millions of their fellow Americans were doing: accessing sexual content. But the content these individuals accessed video and photos of children being raped, tortured and sexually displayed (child pornography) was illegal.
By 2006, congressional hearings revealed hundreds of thousands of these criminals in the U.S. alone. Law enforcement officers at the helm of a national online nerve center told Congress that they identified 300,000 suspects in 2008. Each day, thousands of suspects were being logged and plotted on maps. More alarming, an estimated one in three was a hands-on offender, with local child victims. Yet, the vast majority were not being investigated at all because of the lack of law enforcement funding. Children who could be rescued were instead ignored. The heroes on the front lines of this battle went home every night with the screams of children in their heads, knowing they simply didn't have the manpower to go get them.
Public demanded actionA frustrated U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, pleaded for more law-enforcement funding. "We're fighting a forest fire with a can of aerosol spray," Barton said. "If we're serious about this, let's put some real muscle (into it). … If I've got to put out a major forest fire, I don't send one firefighter. I mobilize the entire operation."
The 2006 Barton hearings led to a bipartisan bill, the Protect Our Children Act of 2008, sponsored by then Democratic Sens. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., as well as Republicans John McCain, R-Ariz., and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Oprah Winfrey endorsed the legislation in a one-hour show, launching more than 500,000 angry viewers at the Senate and helping ensure passage.
The act authorized major increases in spending for combating child sexual exploitation and child rescue. For a few years, progress was dramatic. By 2010, law enforcement agencies were reporting they had identified and rescued 2,182 children in a single year, though the actual number was likely 10 times higher. Now we've forgotten
Then Congress stopped functioning, and the Justice Department stopped trying. This year, the Obama administration asked Congress to cut Protect Act spending by 27%. The House and Senate have proposed spending at below 2010 levels. The crime of child sexual abuse is above all a betrayal of trust. For most victims, it comes at the hands of the very adults who should love and protect them. More than 90% of sexual abuse is committed by a family member or an adult the victim knows. Even when abuse comes from outside a child's circle of trust, there is betrayal. A child's innocent belief that the world is a safe place where adults protect children is shattered. Holding Penn State officials accountable for what they knew and what they covered up is the role of prosecutors, but the rest of us should be stepping up to a bigger plate because our failure to follow through on past lessons of child abuse is leaving more children vulnerable.
We must act togetherWith more than 400,000 American children in foster care and millions more urgently needing protection, we could fill stadiums with children who are counting on us. They need us to be strong, to look evil in the face, and to step in as protectors.It would be easy to turn away from these vulnerable children and the atrocities they face. After all, we're not witnesses ourselves. Yet, like Penn State leaders, we have a duty to act. The people who are forgetting the lessons we learned only a few years ago who have gathered evidence that could protect untold thousands of children and know what to do work for us.
There's no greater feeling, on or off the field, than protecting a child. Please join us in demanding that Congress and the Obama administration properly fund a war against those who prey on our children.
R.A. Dickey is a New York Mets pitcher and author of Wherever I Wind Up, in which he recounts his own abuse as a child. Grier Weeks is executive director of the National Association to Protect Children.
By R.A. Dickey and Grier Weeks
Date: August, 28, 2012
If there is one image from the Penn State scandal that should haunt our American memory, it's not Joe Paterno's fall, Jerry Sandusky's grinning face or the specter of what former assistant football coach Mike McQueary saw.
It's the little boys who came out to the game with them with hair combed and jerseys on, sitting in the stands, filled with excitement, hope and trust. These boys are only the latest to suffer. For centuries, adults who preyed on children hid in the shadows. For every sexual predator witnessed in the act by an outsider such as McQueary, there were thousands who walked among us unsuspected and untouched.
Then the advent of the Internet dramatically changed this. Individuals with a sexual attraction to children began surfacing en masse, as they went online to do what millions of their fellow Americans were doing: accessing sexual content. But the content these individuals accessed video and photos of children being raped, tortured and sexually displayed (child pornography) was illegal.
By 2006, congressional hearings revealed hundreds of thousands of these criminals in the U.S. alone. Law enforcement officers at the helm of a national online nerve center told Congress that they identified 300,000 suspects in 2008. Each day, thousands of suspects were being logged and plotted on maps. More alarming, an estimated one in three was a hands-on offender, with local child victims. Yet, the vast majority were not being investigated at all because of the lack of law enforcement funding. Children who could be rescued were instead ignored. The heroes on the front lines of this battle went home every night with the screams of children in their heads, knowing they simply didn't have the manpower to go get them.
Public demanded actionA frustrated U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, pleaded for more law-enforcement funding. "We're fighting a forest fire with a can of aerosol spray," Barton said. "If we're serious about this, let's put some real muscle (into it). … If I've got to put out a major forest fire, I don't send one firefighter. I mobilize the entire operation."
The 2006 Barton hearings led to a bipartisan bill, the Protect Our Children Act of 2008, sponsored by then Democratic Sens. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., as well as Republicans John McCain, R-Ariz., and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Oprah Winfrey endorsed the legislation in a one-hour show, launching more than 500,000 angry viewers at the Senate and helping ensure passage.
The act authorized major increases in spending for combating child sexual exploitation and child rescue. For a few years, progress was dramatic. By 2010, law enforcement agencies were reporting they had identified and rescued 2,182 children in a single year, though the actual number was likely 10 times higher. Now we've forgotten
Then Congress stopped functioning, and the Justice Department stopped trying. This year, the Obama administration asked Congress to cut Protect Act spending by 27%. The House and Senate have proposed spending at below 2010 levels. The crime of child sexual abuse is above all a betrayal of trust. For most victims, it comes at the hands of the very adults who should love and protect them. More than 90% of sexual abuse is committed by a family member or an adult the victim knows. Even when abuse comes from outside a child's circle of trust, there is betrayal. A child's innocent belief that the world is a safe place where adults protect children is shattered. Holding Penn State officials accountable for what they knew and what they covered up is the role of prosecutors, but the rest of us should be stepping up to a bigger plate because our failure to follow through on past lessons of child abuse is leaving more children vulnerable.
We must act togetherWith more than 400,000 American children in foster care and millions more urgently needing protection, we could fill stadiums with children who are counting on us. They need us to be strong, to look evil in the face, and to step in as protectors.It would be easy to turn away from these vulnerable children and the atrocities they face. After all, we're not witnesses ourselves. Yet, like Penn State leaders, we have a duty to act. The people who are forgetting the lessons we learned only a few years ago who have gathered evidence that could protect untold thousands of children and know what to do work for us.
There's no greater feeling, on or off the field, than protecting a child. Please join us in demanding that Congress and the Obama administration properly fund a war against those who prey on our children.
R.A. Dickey is a New York Mets pitcher and author of Wherever I Wind Up, in which he recounts his own abuse as a child. Grier Weeks is executive director of the National Association to Protect Children.
