One in Ten

Latest Episodes:

COVID-19 and Criminal Justice Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

Prosecutor Mat Heck is our guest today. Amid a pandemic, public health experts are urging us to stay home and stay away from each other to avoid spreading the deadly virus. At National Children’s Alliance, our entire staff is teleworking—and in fact, you’ll hear that this interview was conducted over the internet. Our criminal justice system, however, is built around in‑person interactions. Now, virtually overnight, many aspects of the system had to start operating remotely. What still needs to be done in person, and how do we proceed when public health and public safety are at odds?

As the elected prosecutor for Montgomery County, Ohio, Mat is dealing with this issue directly. How has the pandemic impacted his work? How can victim advocates and forensic interviewers at Children’s Advocacy Centers do their jobs under these difficult conditions? Should we expect a rise in child abuse and other crimes? And how is Mat helping his own staff deal with the added stress of a pandemic on top of an already difficult job?

Topics in this episode:

· The challenge for law enforcement and prosecutors

· Essential vs. nonessential work

· Victim advocacy during a pandemic

· Making sure children are protected: Children’s Advocacy Centers and the forensic interview

· Child protective services checking in on families

· Will we see a rise in crimes like domestic violence and child abuse?

· Helping our workforce deal with the added stress

· Our next episode: Dr. David Finkelhor and changes in rates of child abuse and neglect over time

Links:

NCA’s coronavirus resource page for CACs, partners, and caregivers

Mat Heck, Jr., is the elected prosecutor for Montgomery County, Ohio

Victim/Witness Division and Child Abuse Bureau of the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office

CARE House Child Advocacy Center

Webinar on CAC triage plans: COVID-19 and CACs

Montgomery County Children Services

For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at nationalchildrensalliance.org.

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Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Predators in Our Pockets: The New Digital Hunting Grounds Feb 28, 2020

Show notes

Two guests join us to discuss the overwhelming number of images of child sexual abuse online. First, we spoke to Lieutenant Veto Mentzell with the Harford County (Md.) Sheriff’s Office. How has technology changed producing and distributing these images? What’s the impact on survivors? Who are these predators in our midst? We discussed the role of Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces and how well-intentioned efforts to update legislation can criminalize children’s behavior.

Then, you’ll hear from Emily Cashman Kirstein at Thorn, a nonprofit that builds technology to defend children from abuse. What do we need tech companies to do—or do more of—to protect children? Why are we failing to keep up with the growth of abusive materials online? We talked about the threat posed by end-to-end encryption and what Thorn is doing on the issue of self-generated content.

Topics (Veto Mentzell):

Who produces and shares abusive imagery? (2:14)
Technology now is a common part of abuse cases (5:53)
Self-produced images: the risk for kids (9:58)
The impact on kids and families—and investigators (14:04)
What policy makers need to know (22:24)
The best advice for Children’s Advocacy Centers (31:37)

Topics (Emily Cashman Kirstein):

An audacious goal: eradicating child abuse from the internet (34:21)
The prevalence of this material and what’s driving the growth (35:51)
The role of nonprofits and of policy makers (42:46)
Holding tech companies accountable (48:45)
Encryption, digital privacy, and child protection (51:15)
What else is promising? (55:48)

Links:

New York Times articles “The Internet Is Overrun with Images of Child Sexual Abuse. What Went Wrong?,” “How Laws Against Child Sexual Abuse Imagery Can Make It Harder to Detect,” and “Tech Companies Detect a Surge in Online Videos of Child Sexual Abuse”

Harford County Child Advocacy Center

Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Maryland ICAC

“Digital Safety” episode of Public Health Matters

The State Chapter is Maryland Children’s Alliance

Thorn’s TED Talk: “How we can eliminate child sexual abuse material from the internet”

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)

Safer

Telegraph article: “Tech companies should pay for child abuse epidemic ‘like oil spills’, ex-Government child safety Czar says”

Safety by Design, Australia
For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit nationalchildrensalliance.org.

Support the show

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Mending the Tears of Violence Feb 14, 2020

Show notes

Episode 204, “Mending the Tears of Violence.” Adversity and violence are common in kid's lives. The cumulative burden creates a lifelong vulnerability to physical and psychological issues. So how do we help kids thrive? What strengths are most important in overcoming adversity? Sherry Hamby, research professor of psychology at the University of the South, discussed trauma's cumulative impact and how teachers, parents, and child advocates can help kids.

Topics:

Adversity and violence in children's lives (1:39)
Poly-victimization and the dose response (6:58)
Resilience (12:06)
Poly-strengths (16:11)
Symptom relief is not well-being (20:16)
The most important strengths (22:46)
Teacher engagement; how to help kids (35:09)
How to help kids (39:34))
Our next episode (47:13)

Links:

Sherry Hamby, Ph.D., Life Paths Research Center director and ResilienceCon founder

ACE study

David Finkelhor, Heather A. Turner

National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence

“Polyvictimization: Children’s Exposure to Multiple Types of Violence, Crime, and Abuse”

Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire

Ann S. Masten, Ordinary Magic: Resilience in Development

“Sense of Purpose—The Most Important Strength?”

“From Poly-Victimization to Poly-Strengths: Understanding the Web of Violence Can Transform Research on Youth Violence and Illuminate the Path to Prevention and Resilience”

“Poly-victimization, Trauma, and Resilience: Exploring Strengths That Promote Thriving After Adversity” (article in press at interview time)

MMPI

“Developmental Stage of Onset, Poly-Victimization, and Persistence of Childhood Victimization: Impact on Adult Well-Being in a Rural Community–Based Study”

Two-by-Ten

James Pennebaker

For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit nationalchildrensalliance.org.

Support the show

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

The Child-Trafficking-to-Adult-Prostitution Pipeline Jan 24, 2020

Show notes

Episode 203, “The Child-Trafficking-to-Adult-Prostitution Pipeline.” Multiple states and jurisdictions are considering full decriminalization of adult prostitution. On the surface, it seems like a way to help an exploited population. But the potential for harm is real—especially for children. January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and we spoke to Yasmin Vafa of Rights4Girls about the connections between child sexual abuse and sex trafficking and the adult sex trade. What are supporters of full decriminalization missing? And what would a truly survivor-focused approach look like?

Topics in this episode:

· The sexual-abuse-to-prison pipeline, a domestic crisis (1:30)

· No such thing as a child prostitute (4:27)

· State statutes; child sex trafficking is a form of child abuse (6:15)

· The connection between sex trafficking and the rest of the sex trade (9:30)

· Defeating a full decriminalization bill in Washington, D.C. (17:40)

· Other states considering decriminalization (20:43)

· Advice to child advocates (24:11)

Links:

Yasmin Vafa, co-founder and executive director of Rights4Girls (originally known as Human Rights Project for Girls)

“The Sexual Abuse to Prison Pipeline: The Girls’ Story”

The No Such Thing Campaign featured Withelma “T” Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, whose viral petition helped persuade the Associated Press to stop using terms such as “child prostitute.”

Human trafficking state laws

National Center for Homeless Education (U.S. Department of Education) resources on trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children, Youth and Families “Guidance to States and Services on Addressing Human Trafficking of Children and Youth in the United States”

“Vermont bill would decriminalize adult prostitution,” January 12, 2020, Associated Press

Current status of H.569, “An act relating to prostitution,” in the Vermont General Assembly

The equality model or Swedish model (partial decriminalization)

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). If you suspect an incident of child sex trafficking, call the NCMEC hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Don’t ask, “what if I’m wrong?” Ask, “what if I’m right?”

For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at nationalchildrensalliance.org.

Support the show

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

The Hidden Cost of Resilience Jan 10, 2020

Show notes

Episode 202, “The Hidden Cost of Resilience.” The ability to bounce back from trauma is a good thing. But, increasingly, research is uncovering signs that all may not be well with the kids who look like they’re doing just fine. We spoke to Dr. Ernestine Briggs-King about resilience—and its hidden costs. How can we help kids and families cope with trauma? What factors put children at higher risk? And what does the latest research tell us about the long-term health issues that even the most resilient children may face?

Topics in this episode:

· What is resilience? (1:25)

· Factors that help people be resilient (2:59)

· Abuse disrupts social connections (9:01)

· Racism, homophobia, and other compounding factors (12:25)

· The hidden cost of resilience (17:25)

· Talking to caregivers (25:20)

· Racism’s impacts, and the role of caregivers (28:54)

· Resources (33:13)

· Our next episode (36:58)

Links:

Ernestine Briggs-King, Ph.D., Duke University School of Medicine, and the Center for Child & Family Health

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Robert Pynoos, MD, UCLA

Gene Brody, Ph.D. “UGA Research Uncovers Cost of Resiliency in Kids,” by April Reese Sorrow, May 20, 2013, University of Georgia Columns.

“Is Resilience Only Skin Deep? Rural African Americans' Preadolescent Socioeconomic Status-Related Risk and Competence and Age 19 Psychological Adjustment and Allostatic Load,” by Gene H. Brody Tianyi Yu, et al, July 1, 2013, Psychological Science, Vol. 24(7): 1285-1293.

“Family Support Buffers the Physiological Effects of Racial Discrimination,” by Gene Brody, March 1, 2016, Association for Psychological Science Observer.

“The Hidden Cost of Resilience,” by Leonora Desar, June 6, 2013, Psychology Today.

Professor Ann S. Masten, University of Minnesota, author of Ordinary Magic: Resilience in Development

This New Yorker article, “How People Learn to Become Resilient,” talks about the work of Norman Garmezy and Emmy Werner.

Sir Michael Rutter

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at nationalchildrensalliance.org.

Support the show

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Gender Bias and the Myth of Parental Alienation Jan 05, 2020

Show notes

Episode 201, “Gender Bias and the Myth of Parental Alienation.” Everyone’s heard of the vengeful ex-wife who accuses her ex-husband of child abuse just to get back at him during a divorce. There’s even a scientific-sounding term for it: parental alienation. But is parental alienation real? And are judges taking allegations of abuse seriously enough? We spoke to Professor Joan Meier from George Washington University Law School who has some, frankly, startling data on the subject. How does alleging abuse affect custody decisions? Is there scientific proof that alienation exists? And what can we do to persuade the courts to do a better job of investigating abuse?

Topics in this episode:

· Realizing children aren’t being protected.

· Junk science: parental alienation syndrome.

· The myth of the vengeful ex-wife.

· Women are not considered as credible as men.

· What the research really show?

· What should the courts be doing?

· Reaction by judges

· What can we do about it?

Links:

Joan S. Meier, professor of clinical law at George Washington University Law School

The study referred to in this episode, “Child Custody Outcomes in Cases Involving Parental Alienation and Abuse Allegations,” and other research by Professor Meier are available on the law school’s website

“‘A gendered trap’: When mothers allege child abuse by fathers, the others often lose custody, study shows,” is a Washington Post article about the study.

Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP) provides pro bono appellate representation in compelling domestic violence cases and trains attorneys and courts around the country

DV LEAP’s Legal Resource Library include briefs and court opinions, training materials, publications, links to domestic violence organizations, case digests, and custody resources

Learn more about the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers and National Children’s Alliance on our website, read our annual report, and visit us on Facebook.

Support the show

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

The Family-Focused Advocate Dec 18, 2019

Show notes

Season 1, Episode 12, “The Family-Focused Advocate.” One barrier to improved outcomes for children is getting families to participate in and complete mental health treatments. We have the services available at Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs), but not enough families take advantage of them. This is a family engagement problem. How do we change that? We spoke to Libby Ralston from Project BEST about a shift in the way we communicate—and a focus on family advocacy. What barriers must we overcome? And how can our team partners help make the case for treatment?

Topics in this episode:

· The value of caregivers’ support and involvement in their child’s treatment. (1:24)

· Strategies to engage families in services. (6:20)

· Barriers to participating in treatment. (9:42)

· Trauma-screening and assessments as family engagement tools. (13:42)

· A shift in the way we communicate. (18:40)

· Do you have a family engagement problem? (20:25)

· We’re communicating caring. (27:15)

· Our multidisciplinary team (MDT) partners can help. (29:16)

Links:

Motivational interviewing

The reference to our data is about NCA’s Outcome Measurement System

The family engagement training project refers to the Enhance Early Engagement (E3) Training for Children’s Advocacy Centers’ Victim Advocates, a project that NCA and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center are conducting in 2020.

Learn more about the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers and National Children’s Alliance on our website, read our annual report, and visit us on Facebook.

Support the show

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Beyond ACEs Dec 04, 2019

Show notes

Episode 111: “Beyond ACEs.” In 1998, the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study showed that traumatic events in childhood were common and could have lasting effects—on everything from SAT scores while we’re in school to long-term physical health issues as adults. But are all ACEs created equal? We invited Dr. Lisa Amaya-Jackson from the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress to discuss the benefits—and the limitations—of keeping score. Have we oversimplified the way in which we talk about ACEs? What’s the role of the community in developing resilience? (And why does she think “resilience” is both a beautiful word and a burden?) What do we need to know to help survivors heal?

Topics in this episode:

· The terms used to define trauma. (1:34)

· “All ACEs were not created equal.” (5:29)

· How an ACE can be more potent, and the problem with oversimplification. (8:58)

· How an ACEs assessment fits into the CAC rubric. (20:23)

· Advice for CACs. (26:20)

· Resilience and how communities and organizations can help kids recover. (29:43)

· What’s coming up at the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (40:53)

Links:

The original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

National Center for Child Traumatic Stress

Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope(2016 documentary)

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, at TEDMED 2014, “How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime”

Prevent Child Abuse America

Core Curriculum on Childhood Trauma, including The 12 Core Concepts: Concepts for Understanding Traumatic Stress Responses in Children and Families

Learn more about the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers and National Children’s Alliance on our website, read our annual report, and visit us on Facebook.

Support the show

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Radically Vulnerable: Achieving Justice for Survivors Sep 30, 2019

Show notes

Episode 110: “Radically Vulnerable: Achieving Justice for Survivors.” The legal landscape has started to change for survivors of child sexual abuse. Are we headed in the right direction? And what do we need to do to keep more children safe? We talked to legal scholar Marci Hamilton from CHILD USA about the progress that’s been made—and what needs to happen next.

Topics in this episode:

· Many adult survivors had no legal remedy. (1:39)

· Statute of limitations (SOL) reform—and who opposes it. (4:35)

· How do SOL windows work? (10:29)

· Top public policy aims. (14:27)

· How to help adult survivors. (17:45)

· Youth sports and other fields where kids are radically vulnerable. (20:30)

· Game Over Commission. (27:00)

· Advice for institutions. (29:10)

· What do we most need to understand? (31:33)

· Our next episode topic. (32:42)

Links:

Prof. Marci A. Hamilton at the University of Pennsylvania is the founder, CEO, and academic director of CHILD USA, a nonprofit academic think tank. She is the author of Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect Its Children.

The Boston Globe Spotlight report on clergy sex abuse (2002).

Catholic Charities.

New York’s Child Victims Act took effect on August 14, 2019.

childusa.org/law has information on child protection laws across the United States.

Child Welfare Information Gateway information on mandated reporting.

New York Survivor Tool Kit.

Game Over Commission.

Leaving Neverland documentary.

At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal.

U.S. Center for SafeSport.

Dr. Earl Bradley, former pediatrician and convicted child molester.

Studies from Michigan State University, the U.S. Olympic Committee, and Congress (“The Courage of Survivors” Senate Olympics Investigation, July 30, 2019).

David Corwin, MD, professor at the University of Utah.

Support the show

Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Housing Instability and Child Welfare Sep 13, 2019

Show notes

Episode 109: “Housing Instability and Child Welfare.” Housing instability has an out-size impact on family well-being. What we can do to help children dealing with trauma retain a sense of roots and resilience? And what less-talked-about issues related to housing should we be aware of? The Urban Institute’s Maya Brennan joined us to discuss the deep cycle of cascading instabilities that has its roots in housing and what we, as a society, can do to help keep families strong.

Topics in this episode:

· Housing as a basic human need. (1:34)

· What can we do to help? (4:44)

· The impact housing instability has on children. (6:45)

· Family stressors and cascading effects of instability. (11:25)

· Domestic violence as a cause for eviction. (15:07)

· Programs that help families. (17:57)

· What doesn’t help. (20:57)

· What questions should we be asking? (25:23)

· Dangerous housing and its effect on kids’ health. (28:54)

· The public policy change we need. (34:05)

· One piece of advice for Children’s Advocacy Centers. (36:26)