A Child Advocate's Blog

2011-11-16T14:36:00.001-05:00

An Open Letter to Massachusetts Citizens About the Penn State Scandal and How We Can Prevent Child Sexual Abuse in Our State

November 14, 2011

While the Penn State child sex abuse scandal and cover-up grab national attention, the fact is that cases of child sexual abuse continue to be exposed with unrelenting regularity in every state and community across our country. In Massachusetts alone just in the past six months, we have learned about the decades-long sexual abuse of boys treated by renowned pediatrician Dr. Melvin Levin of Children's Hospital, the revealed boyhood sexual abuse of Senator Scott Brown by a counselor at a Cape Cod summer camp, the sexual abuse of young female tennis players by former Massachusetts coach and International Tennis Hall of Famer Bob Hewitt. Many more current incidents of child sexual abuse involving less well-known abusers appear weekly in local newspapers all across our state.

Predictably, the Sandusky/Paterno case has prompted the media to focus on who knew what and when. Legislators rush to file bills to strengthen reporting requirements, the alleged abuser is arrested and charged, and we all express sorry for the children who have been violated and for their families who are distressed beyond what we can even imagine.

But the truth is that these after-the-fact responses are insufficient to address what the American Medical Association has labeled "…a silent, violent epidemic." It's time to support efforts aimed at preventing child sexual abuse from happening in the first place. This is what Massachusetts Citizens for Children (MCC), lead agency for the Enough Abuse Campaign, has been working to do since the Campaign was launched in 2002.

A public opinion poll conducted in 2007 by the Campaign documented that:

80% of citizens believe child sexual abuse is a serious problem in our state
75% said they believe it is preventable
64% said they would be willing to participate in local community trainings about child sexual abuse and how they can prevent it – up from 48% in a poll conducted four years earlier

Clearly, citizens like you are critical partners in getting the word out that child sexual abuse can be prevented and that in Massachusetts, through the Enough Abuse Campaign, we have the tools and the tested strategies to get the job done.

As a parent, grandparent, or concerned citizen, we are asking you to:

Educate yourself about the real facts of child sexual abuse so that you can be an informed advocate for your children and all the children in your family and community.
Get involved with the Enough Abuse Campaign, a Massachusetts effort that has been recognized nationally as an effective model to mobilize communities and educate parents, youth, and a range of professionals and other adults about child sexual abuse and how to prevent it.
Support the Campaign with your dollars so we can achieve our goal: By 2015 every city and town in Massachusetts will be actively engaged in learning about child sexual abuse and preventing it.

Here are the details.

The Enough Abuse Campaign is overseen by the Massachusetts Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Partnership, a collaboration of twenty statewide public agencies and private organizations. The Campaign was formed in 2002 under a 5-year grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, our nation's leading public health agency. The Campaign is now operating in Greater Gloucester, Newton/Waltham, Orange/Athol area, Greater Lowell, Springfield, and in western rural counties. Efforts are currently underway to expand the Campaign to Cape Cod and other communities.

The Campaign's work has caused the CDC to call Massachusetts "one of the first states in the nation to lead a trailblazing effort to prevent child sexual abuse…." The Ms. Foundation for Women has called the Campaign "an effort that breaks the mold on child sexual abuse in many ways. Its emphasis on community collaboration truly sets it apart from previous efforts.” The Campaign was selected earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as one of 12 exemplary projects in the country working to end child maltreatment.

While the Campaign mobilizes communities and trains their leaders to deliver free in-person community workshops and presentations, a new effort has been launched to educate concerned citizens in the privacy of their own homes and offices. By "Joining the Movement" on the Campaign's homepage, members receive by email our "10 Conversations" series; a new short educational piece is sent twice each month for five months filled with critical information every concerned adult should know and can use to prevent sexual abuse. Topics include:

What is Child Sexual Abuse? Touching and Non-Touching Offenses
Who are the Abusers? How Can We Identify Them?
Grooming Tactics used by Sexual Abusers
Behavior and Physical Signs that Might Indicate Child Sexual Abuse
Sexual Behaviors of Children: Typical or Problematic?
Responding to Sexual Behaviors of Children: Building Skills to Respond Appropriately
Talk to Your Children: It's Easy if You Begin Early and Communicate Often
Impact of Child Sexual Abuse on Children
Keeping Children Safe on the Internet
The Public's Opinion on Child Sexual Abuse

The series is followed with regular email updates about the latest information in the field, activities of Campaign communities, special events and trainings, and profiles on outstanding prevention advocates.

So please take these actions today. Go to www.enoughabuse.org and view our brief video, "a silent epidemic." (Many have called it "powerful", "compelling", "a real eye opener.") Then be sure to "Join the Movement" on the homepage so you can begin immediately receiving our "10 Conversations" series online. Tell family members, friends and colleagues about how they, too, can get educated and encourage them to join.

Make an online contribution now to fund our cutting-edge work. Currently, the Campaign is funded solely by a $75,000 grant from the national Ms. Foundation for Women. If we could double or triple that amount, we could reach more communities and youth-serving organizations with our trainings sooner.

Let's protect Massachusetts children and our communities from a tragedy like the Penn State scandal. We can do it. We have already begun. Are you with us? Our children are waiting…

Sincerely,

Jetta Bernier,

MCC Executive Director
For the Enough Abuse Campaign

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month!

2011-04-01T20:51:00.001-04:00

Today marks the beginning of Child Abuse Prevention Month. As the nation turns its attention to healthy child development and child abuse prevention over the next 30 days, we wanted to highlight four ways each of us can make a difference this month and throughout the year:

Educate yourself and others on the issue of child abuse and neglect prevention. Our websites, www.masskids.org and www.enoughabuse.org have extensive information on the issues of Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma, child sexual abuse, and child poverty. There you can learn about these forms of child abuse and neglect, why they exist, as well as concrete, actionable steps that you, and everyone, can take today to prevent child abuse and neglect in your community.

Advocate for effective implementation of local healthy child development and child abuse prevention efforts. Child abuse and neglect is a huge issue and it's easy for us to fall into the trap of complacency or hopelessness-- but that doesn't have to be the case. If there is a specific issue that you are passionate about then raising your voice and getting involved can make a difference. Whether you're worried about the potentially devastating effects of budget cuts on children's well-being, the accountability of the Catholic church to it's congregations, or the lack of awareness about child sexual abuse in your community-- your involvement as a child advocate can improve the lives of children in Massachusetts.

Donate financially or through the contribution of professional expertise to a local charity that supports children and families like Massachusetts Citizens for Children. Not everybody is able get directly involved with advocacy groups or make large time commitments but that doesn't make you are any less of a valuable ally or that you care any less. For many small non-profit organizations like MCC, every donation is vital for our efforts on behalf of the state's most vulnerable population.

Participate by volunteering for a local charity that supports children and families, or asking your local school boards, community centers, faith-based organizations, youth sports leagues, summer camps, and the like to incorporate child abuse prevention and healthy child development into their dialogues and programs. If you are interested in getting involved with us please visit MCC's Volunteer page. Or, if you go to the Enough Abuse Campaign's website, you can Join the Movement and take our pledge to prevent child sexual abuse in your community. Additionally, by visiting our websites you can learn about various tools that your local schools, organizations and groups may find useful in their own prevention efforts. For example our "Infant Crying and Soothing" brochures, the "It's Not Just Jenna" presentation and discussion on child sexual abuse, and local child sexual abuse prevention trainings.

April is the national child abuse prevention month and we hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to spread awareness about healthy child development, child abuse prevention, and what we can do to make children a priority-- not just for this month, but year-round.

Another order of business for sake of struggling families

2010-07-25T11:13:00.006-04:00

The Boston Globe, July 25, 2010
STRUGGLING FAMILIES and their children across the country are breathing a little easier now that legislation to extend unemployment benefits has advanced. Massachusetts residents in the tens of thousands will benefit, and the state’s economy will percolate as these dollars are spent.

Unfortunately, Senator Scott Brown opposed extending this critical, short-term spending. He has another chance, however, to help revive the state from a lethargic economic recovery.

Legislation to extend FMAP — the federal medical assistance percentage — has been stalled in the Senate for weeks. The latest version of this bill includes $16 billion in fiscal relief to the states, and these funds are fully offset so they won’t increase the deficit. Without this support, Massachusetts faces $690 million in reduced revenue and an avalanche of cuts that are certain to further bury already vulnerable children and families.

Senator Brown gets it. He knows that extending FMAP is essential, and even introduced his own proposal just a few weeks ago. Now he needs to work with Senator John Kerry, resolve details, and move with urgency to get this extension passed before Congress takes its August recess.

Read editorial at Boston.com.

Jetta Bernier, Executive director
Massachusetts Citizens for Children
July 25, 2010
www.MassKids.org

O’Malley has unfinished business here in Boston - The Boston Globe

2010-06-21T13:28:00.001-04:00

O’Malley has unfinished business here in Boston - The Boston Globe

Cardinal O'Malley Must Release the Names of Priests and other Religious Who Have Been Credibly Accused of Child Sexual Abuse

2010-06-10T19:33:00.008-04:00

The Boston Globe recently wrote an op editorial in which they rightly described Cardinal O'Malley's responses to clergy sexual abuse as "a push and pull between the old forces of secrecy and the new pressure for transparency." In March 2009, the Cardinal publicly stated that "in the very near future" the Archdiocese would revise its policy on "disclosing information about accused clergy and the status of cases against them." Fifteen months later, despite urgings from child advocates and abuse victims, and the fact that two dozen other Bishops have released this information, we in Boston still wait.

The Cardinal's new Vatican assignment to help Ireland address its clergy sex scandal should prompt him to resolve unfinished business in his own Archdiocese. He must release now the names of all proven, admitted or credibly accused Archdiocesan priests, religious order priests and brothers, deacons and nuns - whether living or deceased. Included must be the allegations against them, how many children were proven or alleged victims, the names of parishes and schools to which they were assigned, their current whereabouts, and any Vatican orders regarding their laicization or restrictions in their duties. The names of credibly accused religious transferred to the Boston Archdioceses from Ireland and other foreign countries must also be included.

Limiting the release of information about old, already-known cases will not do. Release of audit records from the Diocese of Manchester last year confirms that U.S. Catholic dioceses have received many allegations in recent years. Nearly one-third of known accused priests in that Diocese were named between 2004 and 2009.

We agree with the Cardinal, that: "The Church must be unfailingly vigilant in protecting children and young people." Parents and adults also want to be vigilant against the threat of child sexual abuse. They need to know the names and whereabouts of as many as 200 Boston-area predator priests, most of whom are likely living and working among unsuspecting families and colleagues and who continue to pose an ongoing risk to our children.

Jetta Bernier, Executive Director
Massachusetts Citizens for Children
June 10, 2010

To the MySpace "Friends of Kaleb" - Some Thoughts and a Challenge

2009-03-21T13:28:00.002-04:00

The unprecedented outpouring of deep-felt concern from MySpace members to Kaleb Schwade, a young infant and victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome, has left me once again with a strange mix of both sadness and excitement.

Sadness because since the late 80s when our child abuse prevention organization, Massachusetts Citizens for Children, first began educating parents and professionals about the problem, too many other SBS victims' names have crossed my desk .... Patrick, 6 months old, Boston; Natalie, 5 months, Brockton; Josh, 3 months, Dracut; Theresa, 2 months, Worcester; Harry, 4 months, Framingham; Jack, 1 month, Holyoke; Adam, 2 months, Leominster; Melissa, 3 months, Lynn; Frank, 6 months, Brighton; Heather, 3 months, Rockport; Michael, 2 months, Holden; Patricia, 1 month, Springfield. . . Behind each name is the story of a child's broken trust and a parent or caregiver's broken promise to care for and protect. Each name tells a story of frustration escalating to anger and then to violence. Each name is a reminder of shattered lives and devastated families that can never be the same again. And these are just a few names .....There are so many more whose names never reach the newspaper or television...or MySpace.

Excitement might seem like an out-of-place emotion in response to Kaleb's tragic situation. Yet, as a child abuse prevention advocate and activist, hopeful excitement is precisely what is stirring in me. I am energized because the plight of Kaleb and his family is touching thousands of hearts and when people are moved by such a senseless tragedy, they can be guided through their emotions of sadness and anger to a place where action and prevention are possible. That place is where I live every day and where I have been living since the mid- 1970s when I first immersed myself in the issue of child abuse as a young professional working in a depressed region outside of New Haven. I learned first hand then that when people are moved by an injustice and are then equipped with facts and promising solutions, they can be mobilized to create real change.

These feelings from learning about Kaleb, his mom's journal, and the response of MySpace members, took me back in time to one early morning in February of 1997 when I was driving to work and heard the first radio reports about 8-month old Matty Eappen who had also been shaken and was struggling for life at Boston Children's Hospital surrounded by his devastated family. I couldn't drive fast enough and when I got to my office immediately contacted various media outlets to tell them we had information about SBS that they must inform the public about. I was excited about the chance to turn a shocking and distressing situation into an opportunity for hope and a second chance at life for other infants like Matty.

Only a few months earlier, we had launched our SBS Prevention Campaign in Massachusetts with radio spots and a new comprehensive brochure that we were eager to share. (Over 1 million have been distributed to date.) We had been disappointed earlier to find so few good materials. Most were focused on SBS and its damage and exhorted the reader simply not to do it. I remember one with the message: "Shake a rug, shake a rattle, but never shake a baby." We wanted to do more. We wanted to tell parent and caregivers what to do instead and so we incorporated information in our materials about infant crying - a key trigger for shaking. We shared specific techniques on how to soothe crying and fussy babies, what do to if attempts at calming didn't work, and how to get support for themselves to cope with the stresses of caring for a young baby.

And so we provided information to the media, wrote op ed pieces for the newspaper, went on radio talk shows, and even appeared on the Geraldo Show. We knew from a previous study that half of those surveyed said they did not know that shaking a baby could be dangerous. We hoped that the international attention generated by Matty's story and the subsequent trial of nanny Louise Woodward would certainly educate millions about the dangers of shaking. People did became more aware of SBS but beyond knowing now that they should never do it, these media opportunities did little to educate people about the real facts of infant crying, effective ways to soothe fussy babies, and what they should do to take care of themselves when the stresses of caring for an infant became too stressful.

After the Matty Eappen story faded from the headlines, our organization went on to spearhead an In-Hospital SBS Prevention Program for parents of newborns in Central Massachusetts. Using the approach of Dr. Mark Dias, a pediatric neurologist in Western New York State who had instituted a program to alert parents of newborns about the dangers of SBS, we and our colleagues in Worcester County worked to improve the training for nurses and the information parents would receive. The good work of this dedicated group was recognized by other state leaders and we succeeded in passing the most far-reaching legislation in the county on SBS prevention, one that requires hospitals to educate all parents of newborns about SBS and its prevention.

If Kaleb could convey a message to each one of us, he would ask us to honor him by first educating ourselves about why these terrible tragedies happen and then by spreading information about prevention to parents and caregivers everywhere. Many of those praying for Kaleb are familiar with the Prayer of St. Francis - "Lord, make me an instrument ....." I'd like to propose that after we have shed tears of compassion for Kaleb or expressed our anger about the person responsible, each of us commits to being an instrument of Shaken Baby Prevention. If each of Kaleb's many thousands of MySpace friends do this, we can prevent other infants from dying or surviving with life-long, permanent disabilities. Together, we can become an effective voice for our littlest children who have none.

Kaleb After a Nap

There is much to learn about SBS - why it's under-reported, under-detected and too often misdiagnosed; why infants are so vulnerable to shaking; signs to look for in infants who might have been shaken; factors that cause some adults to resort to shaking; who are most often involved in shaking incidents; and most importantly, how we can prevent SBS. I will be posting information about this and other children's issues in this blog in the months ahead. But to get started, I thought that each of you might want to access our newest brochure on SBS which you can find a link to on this website.

Thanks to each one of you for expressing your concern for Kaleb and for all your future efforts to save other babies from this devastating yet preventable form of child abuse. Jetta

Download Brochure PDF

Jetta Bernier is the Executive Director of Massachusetts Citizens for Children (MCC), the nation's oldest, statewide child advocacy organization. She directs MCC's Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Center and has been a child abuse prevention advocate for over 30 years.

Shaken Baby Syndrome
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a form of physical abuse and a leading cause of death and disability in infants. It is caused when someone taking care of a child loses control of his or her anger and shakes the baby. Most cases occur when a caretaker, frustrated by a child's persistent crying, shakes her to make the crying stop--not realizing what the shaking could do.

Tragedy

On May 9th, 2007 Kaleb was picked up by his Grandmother and Aunt. He was lethargic and experiencing obvious breathing abnormalities. Kaleb was at the doctors the day before and was given a "clean bill of health". When Kristy arrived at her mother's home to pick Kaleb up, she described him as "having no life in his body". She tried repeatedly to wake him, but with no avail. While in the vehicle, Kristy lifted Kaleb's little eyelids. She noticed that his pupils were different sizes. She knew immediately that this was the sign of a head injury- Kaleb needed IMMEDIATE care. They stopped at the nearest firestation. The ambulance took him to the nearest hospital. He was then life-flighted, and was admitted to the PICU. He was diagnosed with Shaken Baby Syndrome. They also discovered that he had been SMOTHERED...

The outpouring of emotion and feeling for baby Kaleb is phenomenal. It is goes to the core of our humanity, the protection and preservation of those/that which is most vulnerable, our BABIES.

How could anyone do this to a child?

2009-02-03T14:43:00.001-05:00

I regularly receive calls from reporters covering stories about shaken babies. The questions are always the same. How could anyone do this to a child? How can these tragedies be prevented?

Here are some facts everyone should know: The most frequent trigger involved in these shaking incidents is infant crying and fussiness. All of us, whether we are parents or not, have likely experienced that physical gut-wrenching reaction when we hear a baby's sharp or constant cry. It commands our immediate attention. Mother Nature intended it to be like that to give babies a way to ensure their survival. If they only wimpered softly when they needed to be fed, or were cold and wet, or needed to feel close to us, adults might not respond and babies' critical needs might not be met.

Some people manage to cope well when confronted with a fussy, crying infant or child particularly when they have the support of their spouse, partner, or other family and friends. But others, particularly those already trying to deal with other life stresses or who don't have much experience with infants, just find the crying intolerable and they want it to stop. When their efforts to quiet the baby don't work, their frustration can turn to anger and escalate to violence. Without thinking, they shake the baby to get it to stop crying. They don't realize that that brief moment of violence can mean the death or permanent injury of an innocent child. That it can mean for them a lifetime of remorse, the end of a marriage, the ripping apart of a family, the end of their own freedom.

Some people who have been victims of childhood abuse can find infant crying especially difficult. Their lack of self-esteem and confidence can make them wonder if the baby is trying to tell them they are a bad parent or if their baby is just trying to ruin their day or night. Babies aren't capable of these motivations. They just want to be cared for and loved and crying is their only way to communicate that.

Some babies can cry alot. Crying bouts of 45-minutes adding up to four or five hours a day is not unusual in our culture. But no matter which culture you live in, one thing about babies is universal - their crying begins to increase at two weeks of age, peaks at around two months, and gradually begins to decrease after that. Just knowing this can help parents feel more prepared and lets them know it won't last forever.

Parents of newborns learn alot these days about infant feeding and that's a good thing. But they learn little or nothing about infant crying, how to soothe their babies, what to do when soothing doesn't work, how to take care of themselves when the crying is getting to them, and also how to make sure their babies are safe when left in the care of others.

If you'd like to learn more about SBS and more information about infant crying, infant soothing and ways to protect your child, please go to my previous blog and there you will find the link to our brochure, Infant Crying and Soothing: What You Need To Know To Keep Your Baby Safe. You can download it, email it to a friend or even request a free brochure be sent to you by calling 800-CHILDREN if you're a Massachusetts caller or 617-742-8555, Ext 3 if you are calling from another state.

If your local hospital is interested in establishing an In-Hospital SBS Prevention Program for parents of newborns, please call us and we can tell you about our two-DVD training set, "SBS Prevention: A Training for Maternity Nurses, Nurse Educators and The Parents They Serve." This narrated one-hour training has been approved by the MA Association of Registered Nurses and it contains all the tools and documents necessary to start a program in your community.

If you are looking to train professionals or parents in a variety of non-hospital community settings, call or email me and I can tell you about our narrated DVDs, "SBS Prevention: A Training for Family Serving Professionals" and our presentation for parents and caregivers. The latter is appropriate for use with many different groups, including mothers support groups, foster parenting groups, nanny and au pair organizations, home visitation programs, babysitting instruction programs, etc.

We can each play a role in ending the tragedy of SBS. Sadly, the children I mentioned at the start of this blog are lost. Their parents and caregivers did not have the information that could have saved them from committing their terrible actions. But if we can build a movement of concerned and caring persons - people just like you - who are advocates for SBS prevention, we will surely save babies lives. Let's do it together, all of us.

Jetta