Child sexual abuse cases take toll on investigators

Caseworkers and the Delicate Balance of Child Abuse Investigations

When readers see a story about a person who has been charged with sexual abuse of a child, they are often reading a heavily truncated, sanitized account of events.

The primary concern is limiting information that could potentially reveal the identity of a victim, but many details are simply too graphic and unsettling to make it to print.

The Role of Caseworkers in Child Abuse Investigations

In the affidavits accompanying criminal complaints, police are much more specific about allegations leveled against a defendant. Behind those affidavits are long periods of investigation by social workers and law enforcement. Through that process, investigators can develop what is known as vicarious or secondary trauma.

“Every day our team of case workers are exposed to extreme, traumatic events that cause them to have secondary traumatic stress or emotional distress,” said Anne Schlegel, director of Washington County Children and Youth Services.

Gina D’Auria, administrator of Fayette County CYS, put it simply: “Child welfare is not for the weak of heart.”

The Interview Process and Emotional Challenges

A major part of the job is interviewing child victims of sexual abuse. Caseworkers have to walk a delicate line of stoicism and empathy while the child shares details of their abuse.

“You cannot show any emotion when a child is disclosing to you,” D’Auria said. “That child will read your face, read your emotions and won’t talk again. You have to be kind of poker faced, while still making that child feel safe.”

Schlegel notes that conducting the interviews is a skill, and that new case workers are paired with more seasoned employees.

Part of that training involves learning to leave emotion at the door.

“We’ve had caseworkers who break down crying with a child during the interview,” Schlegel said.

The Importance of Mental Well-being for Caseworkers

When it comes to the aftermath of such investigations, both Schlegel and D’Auria say their offices encourage caseworkers to practice self-care and tend to their mental well-being.

Washington CYS has a contract with a counseling provider to provide “debriefing sessions” for those coming off of a case.

“When a traumatic event happens, they have an opportunity to debrief with a therapist. They continue to receive that debriefing as long as needed,” Schlegel said, adding that certain, more extreme cases require mandatory debriefing.

Caseworkers and law enforcement also have access to the State Employee Assistance Program (SEAP), which helps refer employees to services to help with personal problems such as mental health issues and substance abuse.

Changing Attitudes and Seeking Help

Maggi said SEAP started during his tenure as a state trooper, but that its scope was much more limited.

“It was more for a shooting incident. Investigating children’s crimes at that time didn’t fall under that category,” Maggi said.

Maggi said when he was in law enforcement it could have been harmful to your reputation to express a need for mental health services.

“We found later there is nothing wrong with needing to talk about it. That does not hurt your image. That was the culture at the time,” Maggi said.

Maggi has not personally sought counseling since retiring from Pennsylvania State Police.

“My wife tells me I probably should. I talk to her a lot about it,” Maggi said.

He added he has seen many positive developments in terms of how law enforcement agencies address these issues.

The Importance of Positive Outcomes

For D’Auria, the stress of the job has taken its toll in the three decades she has worked at Fayette CYS, but she remains committed to the agency’s mission.

“Every time I think I’ve had enough and am ready to quit, something good happens with one of my families,” D’Auria said. “I think we need to see the positive. There are a lot of good stories, and there are success stories.”

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
• SDG 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
• SDG 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 5.2: Number of reported cases of sexual abuse of children.
• Indicator for SDG 16.2: Number of child abuse cases investigated and resolved.
• Indicator for SDG 3.4: Number of caseworkers receiving debriefing sessions or counseling after exposure to traumatic events.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

The article addresses the issues of child sexual abuse and the impact it has on caseworkers and law enforcement. These issues are connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 5, which focuses on Gender Equality, is relevant because it aims to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, including sexual exploitation. SDG 16, which focuses on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, is relevant because it aims to end abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and violence against children. SDG 3, which focuses on Good Health and Well-being, is relevant because it aims to promote mental health and well-being, which is important for caseworkers and law enforcement who are exposed to traumatic events.

Based on the content of the article, specific targets can be identified. Under SDG 5, the target is to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. Under SDG 16, the target is to end abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and violence against children. Under SDG 3, the target is to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases and promote mental health and well-being.

The article mentions or implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. For SDG 5.2, the indicator is the number of reported cases of sexual abuse of children. For SDG 16.2, the indicator is the number of child abuse cases investigated and resolved. For SDG 3.4, the indicator is the number of caseworkers receiving debriefing sessions or counseling after exposure to traumatic events.

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Source: observer-reporter.com

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