Reporting Child Abuse
The Child Abuse Team of the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center provides the following frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers.
Reporting Child Abuse
Answers
A. Contact the child welfare agency or police in the jurisdiction where you live and / or where the incident occurred.
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A. The child welfare agency and the police are required to do an investigation and assessment within a given time frame, with response times that range from hours to days depending on the severity of the particular case.
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A. Please call your pediatrician and / or the local child protective agency within 24 hours. If the assault may have occurred within the past 72 hours, they may refer you to a hospital for a medical evaluation that would detect possible evidence.
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A. In most cases, no. Only a small minority of cases go to trial. Child abuse cases frequently are plea bargained, which means the child won't need to testify in court, though he or she may still be interviewed by police, prosecutors and attorneys. When children are needed for testimony, many communities have victim advocate programs who help them through the process and relieve stress. Sometimes, adults may be permitted to testify to what children have said regarding an incident, or videotaped testimony or depositions may be permitted.
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