Copper River Basin Child Advocacy Center

 Child Abuse Prevention and Covid-19

In April of 2014, the Alaska House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation declaring April Child Abuse Prevention Month in Alaska. The legislation passed in the Senate as well. It has been declared Child Abuse Prevention Month Nationally since 1983. 

Since last March, knowledge and prevention of child abuse has become even more crucial. 

“Have there been more reports of child abuse since COVID-19 started and have the rates of child abuse risen?” These are common questions since the pandemic.

According to Alaskan statistics, the answer to these questions is “no” and “yes.” 

While the number of overall reports has gone down state and nationwide, the number of severe cases of suspected abuse in Alaska has risen 173% in the last year. (Aina, Alaska Public Media)

According to Dr. Barbara Knox, the medical director of Alaska Child Abuse Response and Evaluation Services (Alaska CARES), the lower reporting rate and spike in severe cases is likely due to pandemic-related factors like isolation and financial stress. 

Another huge factor in fewer child abuse reports is school closures, which limits kids’ contact with adults who can help them. According to the Office of Children’s Services, schools are the largest source of reports of child abuse. Reports are consistently lower when students are away from school and higher when school is in session.

Stresses of the pandemic and communication barriers are a reality during this time and make understanding the signs of child abuse even more important. 

“A lot of risk factors that put families in high stress situations are severely magnified because of COVID-19,” said Trevor Storrs of the Alaska Children’s Trust. “We all need to talk about how to be resilient.”

Each case of child abuse and neglect in Alaska costs the state $86,044 in health care spending due to health complications resulting from abuse (Klouda, Alaska Children’s Trust et al., 2019).

 No matter how great the financial impact, a decreased quality of life is the biggest loss for children who are victims of abuse. These children often suffer from an inability to trust, improper brain formation, high addiction rates, low self-esteem and increased chances of heart disease, depression, and post traumatic stress disorder. 

But this doesn’t have to be the outcome for children and families who have been affected by abuse. Knowing how to recognize signs of child abuse and educating ourselves on the issue can have a huge impact.

Recognizing Child Abuse

Recognizing the signs of abuse is paramount. Depending on a child’s age, some signs that could indicate maltreatment include depression, drug and alcohol use, regressive behaviors, refusing to go to certain places, running away, avoiding previously enjoyable activities, a drop in grades or an intense desire to have perfect academic or athletic performance, or overtly sexualized dress or behavior.

While these behaviors aren’t sure indicators of abuse, they can be a red flag, particularly if several of these incidents continue with greater frequency over time.  It is common for adults who notice these behaviors to try and correct these signs rather than address the root of them.

Many people think that if a child is abused or maltreated the child will tell someone right away. Unfortunately, this is not often the case. Many children disclose their abuse months or even years later, which means they are dealing with the aftermath, or even continuation of, the abuse for a long period of time.

 Community education on child abuse is crucial, and prevention starts with educating parents and community members about looking out for all children.

According to Child Welfare Information Gateway, 90% of child abuse victims know their abusers.

 While educating children is important, it can be ineffective because many abusers "groom" children and the community to trust them. They’ve spent time and energy building a child’s and their parent’s trust, helping families, and doing things that cause parents to believe their side of the story more than the child’s when and if the child decides to disclose their abuse. 

This is one of the reasons community members and parents don’t recognize abuse. Another is that people naturally don’t want to believe that horrible things are happening to their children. It is easier to pretend the problem doesn’t exist.

Especially in a small community where most people know each other and many are related, it’s hard to think about what may happen if you report someone or to know if it is even your responsibility. 

One thing many people don’t know is that Alaska state law requires people in various places of employment to report suspected child abuse. This Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Law (A.S. 47.17.010-47.17.290) applies to people involved in law enforcement, school personnel, mental health counselors, medical providers, day care providers, tribal councils, tribal workers, clergy, etc. 

The first step in reporting abuse in the Copper River Basin is with the Office of Children’s Services Regional Screening Line (1-800-478-4444 or email: reportchildabuse@alaska.gov) or the Alaska State Troopers (822-3263). 

Hope on the Horizon

While the prevalence of child abuse in Alaska paints a grim picture, our state and community are making great strides to identify and prevent abuse. With early intervention and resiliency training, children and families affected by abuse have stood strong and embraced strategies for staying healthy. Despite difficult circumstances, we have more resources than ever to bring hope and positive results to those who have had adverse experiences.

Next week we will explore some strategies for staying mentally strong and finding community resources that fortify our community.

Until then, let’s do our best to keep ourselves and those around us well by listening, speaking up and encouraging others to do so. By looking out for our community’s children, we help them realize their right to be heard. Please take a moment today and think of how you can make a difference in a child’s life. 

 By Kelly Gerlach, Gina Hoke and Laura Scott