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Should Not Have Therapy Delayed Until After Trial
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

In cases of child sexual abuse, some prosecutors discourage parents or others from placing a child in therapy until after the trial. The fear is that therapy will create memory and suggestibility issues which may be used by defense counsel to attack the child's credibility. Therapists confronting this issue can make the following points.

  1. If a child wants or needs therapy, it is unethical to withhold this treatment. Numerous studies document that sexual abuse…
Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Legal Advocacy
PDF
January, 2004

The purpose of this guide is to help a survivor or guardian of a child survivor understand the advantages and disadvantages of suing the perpetrator or other responsible parties in civil court. It is not legal advice and should not be substituted for the advice of an attorney. Consulting with an attorney can help a survivor determine what laws apply to their situation and what claims they may have against the perpetrator or other parties.

This guide was last updated in 2004, so…

Topic
  • Civil Legal System
WCSAP Webpage
February, 2013

Sitting through a presentation or training can be difficult, but every now and then there is one that just works. You are excited, engaged, and alert! You care! You want to be there!

What separates the wheat from the chaff? What made that training matter to you? If it mattered to others in the room as well, it is very likely the trainer's methods were informed by understanding adult learning styles.

Adults have specific needs around learning. We want to know what is in it for…

Topic
  • Program Design
WCSAP Webpage
October, 2015

Over the last several years, sexual assault service providers in our state have been working to enhance their response and accessibility to minor survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA). Ideally, we want to create communities that offer safety for young survivors to disclose abuse and agencies that are prepared to provide early intervention services. However, we know that for many reasons, CSA survivors may not disclose their abuse for years. Thus, we want to also be ready to meet the unique…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
With Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
WCSAP Webpage
September, 2017

In studies of adults who were sexually abused as children, two out of three said they never told anyone about the abuse during childhood (London, Bruck, Ceci & Shuman). Accordingly, we can expect survivors may not seek help until they are adults. As advocates, we should feel prepared to work with adult survivors who may no longer be in an immediate danger of assault and meet these survivors in varied places along the healing spectrum. Here are some considerations in your advocacy with…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
Considerations for Child Sexual Abuse Survivors
WCSAP Webpage
June, 2018

Therapists can be a critical component of a child's support system and healing process following abuse. However, many children are reluctant to participate in counseling because they don't want to talk about what happened or they may believe that going to therapy means something is wrong with them. While there are significant areas of overlap between a therapist and an advocate, it is because of their differences that they are both important members of a child's professional team after a…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Therapy
For an "Energized, Incredible" Board
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

Each member of your Board of Directors has accepted crucial responsibilities for the welfare of your agency, and needs training of the highest possible quality to carry out those responsibilities. The Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA) Accreditation Standards state:

Each member of the governing board or advisory committee for a sexual assault program must have orientation and training specific to their role.

The suggestions below are relevant…

Topic
  • Nonprofit Governance
Grounding and Anxiety Management with Young Children Series: Part 3 of 3
PDF
June, 2021

Welcome to the third and final part of our series in grounding and anxiety management with young children! For this three-part series we have been focusing on fun and simple activities that you can do with your child to help them better cope with their feelings of frustration and anxiety. This has proven to be especially needed as children (and parents!), have been dealing with the challenges of reduced school times and slow progress on the Pandemic front. Each video resource referenced is…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Parents & Caregivers
With Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

Relationship-building with youth who have been commercially sexually exploited is no small task. In many cases, abuse, abandonment and betrayal have characterized their relationships with adults and created mistrust. Additionally, they may not see themselves as victims of exploitation or know how they want to move forward.

As advocates, you already have many of the skills you need to support youth who have been commercially sexually exploited. Building rapport with this population is…

Topic
  • Trafficking & CSEC
WCSAP Webpage
January, 2012

Besides having fun, kids are trying to figure out how to make their way through the social environment and feel accepted. It is our role to help create a change in the social environment that makes it "uncool" to use violence and ultimately to be a bully.

Enhance bullying prevention programs in schools and community organizations:

  • Create environments free from violence and hostility in which kids feel safe and can trust adults.…
Topic
  • Strategies