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The most common response to disclosures of child sexual abuse is turning away from the systems set up to keep children safe. Let's ask ourselves why.
The government institutions that are in place to provide safety for children can sometimes do so but at significant cost to the fabric of a family system. The forced removal of a family member can be a damaging and traumatic event for the child who was harmed. While a child’s safety deserves nothing less than the expediency and assurance that the criminal justice system is set up to provide, it is also telling that less than 12% of disclosed cases are referred to law enforcement. Victims and their families are in need of a more holistic response and a different kind of support.
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