What Will Happen to the Child and the Offender If Sexual Abuse Is Reported?
Cases are checked by the police or a social service agency that looks into reports of suspected child abuse. With the help of a doctor and/or the police, a social service agency will decide whether sexual abuse has taken place. Sometimes, the police will let social services handle the case. This may occur if the child is not physically abused and the abuser is a family member. When a child is abused by an non-family member, the matter is usually handled by the police. After the case is reported, what happens depends on the circumstances. The degree of risk of additional abuse to the child is of first concern to the authorities. The offender or the entire family may be required to attend a treatment program. In some cases, the offender may face criminal charges. If the child’s safety is in question, he may be removed from the home. In any event, the child and family will need a great deal of support from relatives and friends.
