Cooperation and consistency among various agencies Involved in these cases were other topics of concern.
Counselor seeks task force to fight sex abuse of children
Macon Telegraph and News, Wed., Jan. 18. 1984
Cheryl Fincher
Nlki Collins refuses to allow sexual abuse of children to be forgotten simply because it's unpleasant.
The child and adolescent counselor at the Central Georgia Community Mental Health Center is working to form a Bibb County sexual abuse task force made up of professionals in counseling, health, courts, education and law enforcement—anyone who works with a sexually abused child.
A group of such professionals met Tuesday for a second time since November to discuss problems in child sexual abuse reporting, follow-up, treatment and communication.
Time and time again the topic of training surfaced during the afternoon's discussion.
A Health Department nurse who works in the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Unit wanted to know what questions to ask a child she suspects is sexually abused. A counselor in adult mental health said she'd like additional training on how to handle adult clients who were abused as children.
A WORKER with the Macon Rescue Mission wondered how to handle suspected sexual abuse cases in those referred to the mission's shelter for neglected and abused children.
Cooperation and consistency among various agencies Involved in these cases were other topics of concern. A juvenile Court officer said that more support is needed from law enforcement officers. They, too, could use more training in juvenile problems he said.
Collins plans to meet with law enforcement representatives later this month.
She met with representatives of the district attorney’s office last week because she hopes to develop a procedure for reporting and investigating to be shared with all parties involved.
"The biggest thing that came out was that lawyers tend to think in terms of punishment and social workers tend to think In terms of treatment," she said.
Although District Attorney Willis Sparks III was receptive to treatment of child sexual abuse offenders because of the overcrowding of jails, he said there is nothing he could do to keep them in treatment.
HOUSTON COUNTY developed a child sexual abuse task force two years ago. It was formed because of an increase in reports of child sexual abuse, coupled with problems in effective response, according to Mary Doby, a counselor with Peachbelt Mental Health Center in Warner Robbins.
Prior to information, six cases of sexual abuse were reported to the center. In its first year of operation, the number increased to 15. In the second year, 63 cases were reported. Doby said more sexual abuse was not occurring, but more people were reporting it because they were more aware or reporting procedures.
Collins said that she has had only 20 sexual abuse clients’ ages 5-17 in the last six months, and at least 50 percent of the mothers of all her clients were sexually abused as children.
Suicide Awareness for First Responders helps you to better understand suicidal people, how to help them, what to do at a scene of suicide threats or completion. Suicide threats and completion among first responders is also covered.
Crisis Management for First Responders is for first responders to be able to help victims of critical incidents as well as their own personnel who are affected by the trauma they witness or experience themselves.
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