“Julia” is a sweet young girl who has tried her best to survive in a home where survival was easy for a child. Growing up with two parents who were addicted to methamphetamine, Julia experienced extreme neglect beginning at a young age. Child protection brought Julia to Voices Carry for a forensic interview. During the […]
Julia: Finding a Loving Family Read More »
A teenage girl named “Harmony” came to Voices Carry for a forensic interview after disclosing about sexual abuse perpetrated by her older brother. While the abuse had been happening for years, Harmony’s story only began to surface after a teacher suspected abuse. Some people in her household knew about the abuse, but no one supported Harmony.
Harmony: Speaking Up to Speak Out Read More »
A sweet 5-year-old girl named “Erin” visited Voices Carry for suspicion of abuse perpetrated by her single mother. Erin came to Voices Carry for her interview with extensive bruising and burn marks throughout her body. During the interview, we learned that the burn on her side came from a pan that her mother had been heating on the stove, and the
Erin: Resiliency in the Face of Trauma Read More »
By Chiara Soth, Advocacy Intern Matt is a sweet 11-year-old boy who had the behavior and speech of a 7-year-old. Because this was one of my first experiences with a child victim of abuse, I assumed that he had a cognitive disability. However, after discussing his situation with the caseworker and forensic interviewer for his case,
Matt: A Comprehensive Response to Child Abuse Read More »
Sometimes when a child visits Voices Carry for a forensic interview, he/she may not disclose the abuse experienced for a variety of reasons. “Aiden,” a shy 7-year-old boy with a big heart and love for dinosaurs, was afraid to tell his story about the abuse at home. He worried that talking about the physical and
Aiden: Making his Voice Heard Read More »
Often, domestic violence occurs in the home at the same time as child abuse. When one parent is the abuser and the other parent is being abused, the children are left with no protection and are vulnerable to significant amounts of abuse. The home is supposed to be a safe place, but for victims of domestic
Kate, Elsa, and Mary: A Family of Survivors Read More »
Sarah was a 13-year-old girl who had experienced extreme amounts of abuse and neglect from the adults in her life. She was born to a mother who struggled with drug abuse. Sarah’s mother began dating a man when she was about 11-years-old, and he moved into their home soon after they had started dating. This
Sarah: Victim to Survivor Read More »
By Melissa Van Kooten, MSW Intern. A family that is close to my heart came through the Child Advocacy, and I had the privilege of being their family advocate. The foster mother, Simone, brought her foster son, Jacob, into the CAC where he disclosed a profound amount of abuse he experienced from his previous caregiver. Simone was overwhelmed after
Simone and Jacob: Connecting to Community Resources Read More »
By Dr. Deb Crawford, Board Member. “Abigail” is a sweet 10-year-old girl who began exhibiting concerning behavior changes at home. She finally disclosed to her mother that a family member had been sexually abusing her and threatening her if she told anyone. Abigail is cognitively delayed, functioning at the level of a 7-year-old. She thought
Abigail: Access to Medical Care Read More »
By Liz Boeck, Safety Smarts Instructor/Marketing Coordinator. School-based prevention instructors meet with children on a regular basis for up to six weeks. We often build connections and rapport with the students. For some, this connection can be life changing, as in the case of a 7-year-old boy named “Peter.” He approached me right away after the first
Peter: School-Based Prevention Leads to Safety Read More »
