Child abuse cases in Bristol County rose last year

FALL RIVER – The Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol County sees abused children at their most vulnerable, when they may be feeling fear, shame and even guilt, but its mission is “all about empowering victims” to find hope and healing.

“For some, it’s an immediate transition,” said CAC Executive Director Michelle Loranger.

The center -- that completes forensic interviews and multiple health and advocacy services for abused children and their families -- put across that message at its annual legislative breakfast Friday morning.

Some 815 children were served at the CAC in fiscal year 2018 -- an increase of 164 percent since the CAC started in 2007. Numbers are still climbing. In fiscal 2017, the CAC served 665 children.

For this fiscal year -- that runs from July 2018 to June 2019 – some 390 children have already been served.

When it comes to the abuse of children, Loranger said: “It’s so prevalent and Bristol County is not spared in child and sexual abuse.”

Of the total served by CAC in Bristol County, 38 percent of the cases took place in greater Fall River, which includes Fall River and the towns of Freetown, Somerset, Swansea and Westport.

Another 30 percent of CAC’s cases were in greater New Bedford, plus 13 percent in each of Taunton and Attleboro, and another 6 percent outside Bristol County.

“Every case is treated like family,” Loranger said.

Each case represents a child or intellectually disabled adults who has been sexually or physically abused, including child trafficking, or those who have witnessed violence.

Some 75 percent of CAC’s cases in fiscal 2018 involved sexual abuse. Another 10 percent were categorized as physical abuse, 8 percent as commercial sexual exploitation of children, and 7 percent as witnesses to violence.

“We’ve really seen an increase in physical violence and witness to violence,” Loranger said.

Of the children served by the CAC, some 46 percent were ages 13 to 17, and 26 percent were between ages 9 and 12. Younger children were also abused, with 22 percent between 5 and 8, and 4 percent from infant to age 4. Another 2 percent of those served included adults with cognitive functioning disabilities.

Some 29 percent of offenders were known to the family. In 19 percent of cases, the parents were the offenders. Other relatives were offenders in 16 percent of cases. The partner of a parent was the offender 11 percent of the time. Step-parents were offenders in 4 percent of cases. Unknown individuals were offenders in 21 percent of the cases.

Not all abusers were adult. Some 20 to 30 percent of reported cases of child sexual abuse are committed by those under the age of 18.

The commercial sexual exploitation of children, including child trafficking, is an area that has grown for the CAC.

“We know that social media … and being connected 24/7 is definitely having an impact,” Loranger said.

In fiscal year 2018, the CAC saw 23 cases of child trafficking in greater Fall River, and 11 so far for this year.

In greater New Bedford, there were 21 cases of child trafficking last year, and already 35 for this current year.

The breakfast at BK’s Tavern, sponsored by William Starck Architects, drew many local legislators including State Sen. Michael Rodrigues, state Reps. Alan Silvia, Carole Fiola, and Paul Schmid, retired Sen. Joan M. Menard, and Mayor Jasiel Correia II.

Email Deborah Allard at dallard@heraldnews.com