Advocates Addressing Abuse in April: Local agencies speak on Child Abuse Prevention

People Protecting and Preventing

MARYLAND – Every year, millions of cases of child abuse are reported. Here in Maryland, Wicomico County State Attorney Jamie Dykes, describes the cases she sees daily, and how the state is addressing abuse accordingly.

Law Enforcement

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Wicomico County States Attorney Jamie Dykes has an important message. “It’s crucial that children know that they’re safe.” She goes on to say that parents are entitled to discipline their children, – but it should never go as far as abuse. “When we’re deciding if criminal charges are warranted in the case of physical abuse, it’s looking into the intent of the parent who’s carrying out the discipline. Was there a malicious intent? Were they out of control? Was an injury sustained, or was it a reasonable effort for corrective action?”

Advocacy Groups

More than 350 children were served by Child Advocacy Centers in Worcester, Wicomico, and Somerset Counties in 2023. Director of the Maryland Child Alliance Wendy Myers says there are many misconceptions surrounding child abuse. She went on to say that there are unique challenges related to the Eastern Shore, like access to services, and adequate medical or mental health providers. “Every race, every sexual orientation, every religion, every age can be at risk for child abuse, exploitation, trafficking.  So I think a common myth that abuse touches certain socioeconomic class or race, but the statistics show us that is certainly not the case.”

Myers added that more than 96% of cases in Maryland last year involved an offender and victim who knew each other. “The ‘Stranger Danger’ myth is frequently shared- and its not the case either… People should understand that it’s very unlikely that a child will be maltreated by a stranger. These crimes occur with people who are known to the children.”

Effects of Abuse

The Maryland Child Alliance group told us the overwhelming majority of the cases across the Eastern Shore are related to sexual abuse. They go on to say that the long-term effects of child abuse on the community can be tremendous. “Trauma left untreated can manifest in many different ways. The outcomes could be related to health concerns… mental health concerns, high school dropout, teen pregnancy, addiction issues- there’s a multitude… ”

Mandated Reporting

In Maryland, mandated reporting began in 1964. Child Welfare tells us that mandating reporting laws require certain professionals to report child abuse and neglect concerns. Ultimately, that means if you are around children in any professional capacity, and you witness suspected abuse – you must report it to the appropriate authorities. States Attorney Dykes tell us how important this truly is. “We would never know about abuse in many cases if it wasn’t for mandated reporters. They are a crucial component and partner to identifying children who are at risk, investigators becoming aware, and helping to keep children safe. The mandated reporters- we couldn’t do this work largely without them.”

Dykes said even if you are not a mandated reported you can still help children by recognizing the signs and speaking out any time you see something is wrong.  “If someone has a concern, you don’t have to be a mandated reporter to report… I encourage members of the public whether mandated or not to report, to make a report if they suspect a child has been abused or neglected.

Protect and Prevent

In many cases of child abuse and neglect, abusers will often target the most vulnerable children. “Offenders have preferences generally speaking. Sometimes its whoever they can have access to… they’re gonna look for children with certain characteristics, specially, who might be willing or inclined to keep a secret,” says Attorney Dykes. She also describes how children will sometimes make tentative disclosures to gauge a parent’s reaction-“generally speaking, a child will pull back if they believe their parent may lose their cool. They don’t want the upset that is going to be created in their life.”

Director Myers shared key points to take away. “So, I think the most important thing to remember is having conversations with kids about appropriate touching, about expectations, and about who to talk to if they feel uncomfortable with a specific situation. It’s pretty common for kids to have signs and symptoms, but sometimes there’s no sign and symptoms. Sometimes we just don’t know abuse is occurring.” She states we should make sure children know how to properly identify the parts of their body and allow kids to talk about things that might make adults uncomfortable, but this is necessary.

Attorney Jamie Dykes closes by inspiring the community to act. “I would encourage moms to vet boyfriends, people that they are going to allow access and supervision over their children. Children, I have found, don’t disclose because they are not safe, they don’t feel safe… that is the key to a child coming forward.”

If you witness or suspect child abuse or neglect, please contact your local law enforcement agencies or advocacy groups.