Covid-19 & Child Abuse: A Time of Vulnerability

 

This guest post is written by Melissa Benvenuto, Regent Law 3L and current Wills, Trusts & Estates student:                      

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Proverbs 31:8

A Shocking Reality

During the early stages of the pandemic, a first glance of child abuse case numbers may cause a sigh of relief. In August, it was reported by the New York Times that in New York alone, child abuse cases had dropped by 51%. Without any context or knowledge of the typical reporting circumstances, one may be encouraged with this statistic; however, with the knowledge that schoolteachers are the primary advocates for children stuck in abusive households coupled with the fact that schools have been shut down and have transitioned to virtual learning, one should be a bit terrified. If child abuse was already existent in the home, it is painful to imagine how forced homeschooling, potential parental unemployment and financial issues, and no means of escape can exacerbate conditions. Virtual learning can only reveal so much. The American Psychological Association (APA) addressed concerns related to child abuse and COVID-19 in April 2020. Generally, the APA points to high stress levels as the key factor in physical abuse and child neglect. Virtual learning in the home and already existent high stress levels combine to create an environment that can foster undetected child abuse.

Too Close to Home 

Virginia Child Protective Service reports that the top two reporters of child abuse in the City of Virginia Beach are law enforcement and public school officials (e.g. teachers, counselors, or staff). A three-year look back as provided by the Referral Reporter Source Annual Report provides that from:

• ·   July 2017 to June 2018, approximately 4,123 cases were reported with 715 made by law enforcement (17%) and 724 made by teachers (17%).
• ·      July 2018 to June 2019, approximately 4,578 cases of abuse were reported. 695 of those cases were reported by law enforcement (15%) and 852 cases were reported by school officials (18%).
• ·      July 2019 to June 2020, child abuse cases declined from 4,578 to 3,881. 691 of these discoveries were made by law enforcement (17%) and 519 were made by school officials (13%).

Several observations can be made based on these statistics from 2018-2020, in light of the trend that New York has shown mentioned earlier. Overall, reports have dropped by 697 cases. The revelations made between law enforcement and school officials flipped drastically with a decline in school discoveries around 5%. While it is plausible a number of factors could go into this decline, it would be more assuring if law enforcement discoveries declined as well, not including the other sources of discovery ranging from clergy, babysitters, daycare staff, and parents. Further, it is important to clarify that these numbers do not reflect whether the cases were founded or unfounded. More data from the Commonwealth, which dates back to 2000, can be viewed here.

Speaking up for the Voiceless

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, addressed concerns relating to domestic violence and child abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as several ways to counter these concerns. While we must be apart due to social distancing requirements in this pandemic, there are things that can be done to ensure the safety of our children by our schools, doctors, law enforcement, and neighbors. First, with schools operating under remote instruction once again, schools should encourage the use of virtual counseling, telephone check-ins, and regular virtual conferences with parents and their children. While doing these things virtually may limit discovery of child abuse, having one-on-one discussions may reveal things to teachers well-educated in recognizing signs of physical or verbal abuse. Second, with health being at the forefront of everyone’s minds, doctors can play a crucial role with their ability to see the children in person and discover any physical signs of abuse. Third, the reports issued by Virginia Child Protective Services reveal that law enforcement have taken the lead in detecting child abuse. We should increase our partnerships with law enforcement and support their training and initiatives in reaching the community and those we cannot see on a daily basis. Lastly, we must be good stewards to one another. While we must avoid gathering, we must not avoid being a good neighbor and friend. Simple awareness of our surroundings, maintaining connections with our families, and being kind to one another can impact someone more than we know and create a domino effect that may just make its way to children who need it most.

Aside from the virus, the biggest threat in this pandemic is isolation and the issues it presents. Among the issues that isolation presents to our very young and very old populations, it also effects those in the middle who are likely caretakers of those populations. In doing our best to protect others and ourselves from outbreaks and illness, we must also be sure to not forget some of the most vulnerable: our children. 

Throughout history, pandemics have come and gone, but child abuse and its effects can last for generations.  Protecting children and families from child abuse must be a constant effort to foster family restoration.