A teacher, high school employees, a police officer and a foster parent – all people in positions of trust and authority when prosecutors charged them with sexually abusing or assaulting a child.
Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon cited those cases, each of which resulted in convictions, as part of a press briefing at which he highlighted Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month and the importance of speaking up whenever suspicions arise. McMahon’s office has partnered in recent years with the county’s regional office of education and Kane’s Court Appointed Special Advocates on an information campaign to re-emphasize the legal requirements of mandated reporters in schools, while also stressing that everyone has an obligation to be aware of possible mistreatment of children.
“You don’t have to be a mandated reporter to report abuse,” Gloria Bunce, executive director of CASA Kane County, said.
On April 20, Kane County Child Advocacy Center plans a balloon release – one balloon for each of the 330 cases it handled in 2016 – and to present a one-time abuse victim to speak about their experience of working with the advocacy center. Assistant State’s Attorney Lori Schmidt, the center’s acting director, described the complexities of such cases, often because of the passage of time before a child victim discloses abuse and a lack of physical evidence. A victim “shows a tremendous amount of bravery to walk into a courtroom” to testify against their abuser, Schmidt said.
But, those moments in court only happen after a child tells someone they have been taken advantage of by an adult, often someone the child fears betraying if they were to speak up about abuse. Schmidt said that’s why people need to trust their instincts and report their concerns.
“You have to trust your gut … if you have some type of suspicion,” Schmidt explained. “It’s everyone’s business. We should all be mandated reporters.”
McMahon added that civil immunity protects those who make claims in good faith. Reports and calls to the hotline are then handled by trained investigators to sort out whether any abuse has occurred.
As for mandated reporters – which include doctors, educators and others who work with children, McMahon reiterated the legal requirement those individuals have to contact authorities, a responsibility not negated by internal policies or employer agreements.
“They do not relieve a mandated reporter from his or her legal obligation to report suspected child abuse,” McMahon said.
Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News