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Untangling the Trends on Trafficking

December 21, 2023

As we approach January of 2024, we are thinking ahead to Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month. Over the last year, there has been a significant increase in the discussion of Human Trafficking in the United States. Twice this year, according to Google Trends, the term “human trafficking” experienced two significant jumps. The first in December of 2022 following the arrest of controversial social media influencers Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate, and the second in July of 2023 following the release of the surprise blockbuster “Sound of Freedom.” Both events led to larger conversations surrounding what Human Trafficking is and isn’t, where it impacts people, and what needs to be done. While we often welcome discourse on topics relevant to our work, this jump in popularity seemingly had a less than favorable impact on the critically important work.

To start, we need to create an understanding of the issue. Human trafficking is widely defined by the United States Department of Justice as “involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. Coercion can be subtle or overt, physical, or psychological. Exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is human trafficking, regardless of whether any form of force, fraud, or coercion was used.” Relevant to our work, Massachusetts state law defines the trafficking of children as the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). The Children’s Advocacy Centers of Massachusetts recognize that CSEC occurs when a person under the age of 18 is offered, or given, something of value to them in exchange for some type of sexual act. It doesn’t have to be in person, and it doesn’t need to be money for it to be commercial sexual exploitation. Value could be anything to a child, including food, clothing, a warm place to sleep, better grades, vapes, alcohol or other substances, a trip to a salon, or even a ride somewhere.

Another form of sexual exploitation can take place online. Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) is also considered a form of sexual exploitation and abuse. Often referred to as child pornography, CSAM is any photo, video, or visual image of a child under 18 engaged in sexual behavior or unclothed. CSAM is much more than photos and videos; it is a form of exploitation and abuse documented and shared across the internet in perpetuity. Every time an image is viewed, shared, paid for, or downloaded, the child is being revictimized and a crime takes place.

Google Trends doesn’t necessarily dive into the information that defines these issues even though it is widely and publicly available. These trends focused on the more controversial and sensationalized elements of the epidemic of human trafficking. The Tate Brothers were arrested in Romania and accused of sexual assault, human trafficking, and other acts of violence against seven women across three continents. Andrew Tate is accused of using a “Romeo” style of exploitation, which is generally defined as romancing women or making them believe they are in a relationship before beginning to exploit them. Once a “relationship” was established, he is accused of forcing women to make pornographic content, alleging that women had debts to repay, and using threats of violence to keep them engaged in sexual behavior. Conversely, the “Sound of Freedom” focuses on former U.S. Government Agent Tim Ballard who leaves his formal position at the Department of Homeland Security to rescue children from sexual exploitation in Columbia. The film centers around Ballard’s Operation Underground Railroad, an anti-sex trafficking organization, and its work to rescue children from sexual exploitation.

The challenge with both media events, which garnered a lot of attention to the issue of human trafficking, is the disparity in the way it led to trafficking being viewed. Andrew Tate’s nearly rabid fan base quickly launched a staunch defense of him and his brother, with claims that allegations were fraudulent and that he was being targeted for his masculine and conservative views. The “Sound of Freedom”, on the other hand, portrayed child sex trafficking and exploitation as a problem outside the United States, and at times a far-reaching conspiracy tied to “global elites” who exploit children for ritualistic fashion. Both of these events have led to an overgeneralized understanding of human trafficking, which is both unbelievable for its simplicity (that women can be manipulated into their own exploitation), and believable for its complex ties to a global conspiracy, which operates outside the United States.

While the Tate brothers’ situation is more of a socio-political issue and contributed to debates from pundits on cable and social networks, the “Sound of Freedom” led to a large response from the organizations and communities that have been committed to end human trafficking for many years. One of those organizations, our statewide partners My Life My Choice (MLMC), a survivor-led organization whose mission is to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children, had significant concerns about the film. Based in Boston, MLMC has provided education and training to more than 20,000 providers of youth services, has provided mentorship programs to more than 900 exploited youth in the Commonwealth, and prevention education to more than 3,800 girls. They have shared their curriculum and provided education to more than 36 states in the nation, and in 2018, an evaluation funded by the National Institute of Justice indicated their programs were completed with “rigorous evidence of effectiveness.”

In a blog post from July titled “Setting the Story Straight”, My Life My Choice criticized the focus on the exaggerated stories about the organization Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) and its founder Tim Ballard. “Sound of Freedom” created a false narrative of the sexual exploitation of children, which took the focus off the root causes of the exploitation industry. It also minimized the complex needs, care, and treatment needed for survivors of exploitation, as well as reinforced the misunderstanding that trafficking happens far away.

While this was just one voice which rose during the peak of the film’s popularity, many other issues have since come to light. The jump in attention for the organization had the opposite effect one may imagine. Tim Ballard separated himself from the organization within several months of the film’s release after a series of allegations by employees made accusations against him for sexual misconduct. Some of these behaviors mirrored those behaviors used by traffickers themselves to groom, manipulate and exploit women who had joined the organization to support survivors. By November of 2023 Ballard is facing lawsuits for allegations of sexual misconduct and assault by no fewer than six women. Ballard and O.U.R. have faced additional backlash from faith-based organizations, media and politicians over accusations of engaging in fraud and promoting conspiracy theories.

My Life My Choice stated in their article: “Some may believe that any dialogue about human trafficking raises awareness and builds the movement, and therefore “Sound of Freedom” has an important role to play. We disagree. This film takes attention and investment away from the true work of supporting survivors and shifting the circumstances that makes CSEC possible.” We could not agree more.

As the Child Advocacy Center for the Cape & Islands, we provide the coordinated response to crimes against children, including the regional multidisciplinary response to concerns of sexual exploitation and trafficking of children. We work collaboratively with the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office, all departments of law enforcement, the Department of Children and Families, and the Department of Public Health for this coordinated response.

In January of this year, Children’s Cove partnered with the Child Advocacy Centers of Bristol and Plymouth Counties to put out a report regarding the impact and concerns of exploitation and trafficking of children in Southeastern Massachusetts in the calendar year of 2022. Regionally, our centers saw an increase in referrals of more than 40%, many beginning with or being solely online sexual exploitation. There were 420 referrals for concerns of exploitation of children in the region, including 355 female identified children, 63 male identified children and 2 transgender identified individuals. The range of ages for children impacted were from 5 years-old to 17 years-old and the distribution of these cases were that approximately 77% of these cases were individuals between 13 years-old and 17 years-old, and 23% were children who were 12 years-old and younger.

More than 400 children were sexually exploited or trafficked right here in Southeastern Massachusetts last year. Not in Haiti, Thailand, China, or Mexico, but here in the communities across Massachusetts. We have been responding to cases of commercial sexual exploitation of children across Massachusetts for many years now, and we need the same level of support for these very real children in our community. To learn more about commercial sexual exploitation of children visit our website, or to watch films about how exploitation manifests itself in our communities these are some recommend films: “Very Young Girls,” “I am Jane Doe,” and “A Path Appears.”

Together we can work to create a community where children are free of abuse, have a voice that is heard, and where they enjoy healthy, safe, and empowered lives.

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Domestic Violence is Child Abuse

October 12, 2023

First observed in 1981, October is designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time for advocates, survivors, and families to mourn lives that were lost, bring attention to the issue of domestic violence in our country, and connect with others to create change.

Domestic violence, otherwise known as intimate partner violence, is unfortunately very common, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with “about 41% of women and 26% of men experiencing sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner…during their lifetime.” Like other forms of abuse, domestic violence is more than just one act, as it encapsulates a variety of behaviors and actions.

According to our community partners at Independence House, domestic violence is defined as:

This October, Independence House, A Safe Place Nantucket and CONNECT to End Violence Martha’s Vineyard will work to bring awareness to this issue for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. These incredible community partners work with those experiencing domestic violence and provide a variety of helpful measures to individuals and families, including improving safety, support, and independence. The direct services team at Children’s Cove will often work collaboratively with these organizations when helping a child who has been abused or has witnessed the abuse of another in their home. It is this collaboration, and the intersection of our work which provides us with the insight and expertise to strongly believe that domestic violence is synonymous with child abuse.

The challenge with terms, catchphrases or labels is that they are often oversimplified. Based on someone’s experience or unique perspective, when hearing a particular term, they may have a stereotypical image that comes to mind.  For example, domestic violence is often portrayed as an adult male physically assaulting an adult female, but this is only a fraction of the wider issue and its intricacies.

What would your first response be when asked the questions: “if a father hits a mother with their child in the house, is that child being abused?” Perhaps it would to be to ask another question, “did the child see it?” “Were they also hit?” “Was the child was sleeping?” Sometimes the answer to the original question is a simple ‘yes’, whereas to others it becomes more nuanced. There can be a belief that because the child themselves has not physically experienced the abuse; it would not qualify as child abuse. We want to state unequivocally that this is simply not the case.

Much like child sexual abuse, domestic violence impacts the entire family. Children in particular are at increased risk of long term effects of experiencing or witnessing domestic violence, known as an “adverse childhood experience” (to learn more, visit our past article here). Children need to grow in a safe and stable environment, as chronic adverse stress, or “toxic stress” results in physical and behavioral impacts on the child.

According to the CDC, “when a child feels threatened, hormones are released, and they circulate throughout the body. Prolonged exposure to stress hormones can impact the brain and impair functioning in a variety of ways.” This impact can alter the growth and development of the brain, cause a lower level of stress tolerance, create difficulty with their autoimmune response, develop more illnesses in their lifetime, or even develop neurological disabilities.

There is a tangible physical and neurological impact to a child who witnesses and experiences domestic violence.  In fact, the belief that domestic violence may only impact adults is also unfounded. The Resource Center on Domestic Violence: Child Protection and Custody presented research which found that approximately 30-60% of families in which either child abuse / neglect or adult domestic violence is occurring, the family was also experiencing the other form of violence. Rarely does one issue does not impact or connect with the other.

However, even with the science, the studies, and findings, it may be hard to convince individuals that domestic violence is not child abuse. The impacts of domestic violence for children are real and lifelong.  There is a YouTube video of a 911 call from 6-year-old Lisa Floyd where she desperately and repeatedly asks for help from the police to stop her stepfather from severely physically assaulting her mother.  Lisa’s pleading, screams and crying are signs of the insidious trauma she is experiencing. This call received national attention and is used to educate people on the impact of domestic violence on children.

Below is a transcribed video of Lisa Floyd’s 9-1-1 call.

*WARNING* this recording is incredibly disturbing and may be challenging or triggering for some to hear.

Think about a six-year-old experiencing this trauma not just once, but numerous times. We believe this can only be categorized as child abuse.  As an adult, Lisa Floyd sadly did not escape a troubled life.  After years of substance misuse, including 25 DUIs and jail time, at last report, Lisa was in recovery and working with a recovery care organization to help others.

As the Child Advocacy Center for Cape Cod & the Islands, Children’s Cove provides compassionate, comprehensive, and collaborative response services at no cost to survivors of child abuse. Our multidisciplinary team works together to empower survivors, promote healthy outcomes, and help mitigate the stigma of child abuse. Children’s Cove also partners with regional sexual and domestic violence agencies to end violence and abuse on Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. We know that sexual abuse, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation impacts people of all ages, genders, cultural backgrounds, and socioeconomics.

Our mission remains steadfast – to create communities where everyone lives free from abuse, has a voice that is heard, and can enjoy healthy, safe, and empowered lives. If you are a victim of abuse and don’t know where to turn, there is community support available. You are not alone.

If you would like to learn more about free and confidential services available to our communities or provide information to someone who may need support, we are here to answer questions and offer help.

Learn how to access support services across the Cape & Islands here.

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A School’s Critical Role in Safety

August 14, 2023

As summer comes to a close, it’s time for parents and caregivers to get ready for the start of the new school year. Whether it is the first year their child is entering school or the last year of high school, there is a whole host of items, schedules and plans needed for students of every age. Books to read, school supplies, bus schedules, lunchboxes, clothing, shoes, sports equipment; the lists of these materials, needs and consent forms come weekly, sometimes daily, at the beginning of the school year for parents to review, sign, and return. In fact, schools tend to do an incredible job of communicating.  However, there is a topic we believe needs to be included in the information schools share with parents and caregivers, and that is the school’s policy on child abuse prevention, recognition, response, and reporting.

Schools play a critical role in child abuse recognition and response, and teachers are often the front line. When schools play such a critical role of recognizing and reporting abuse, one should expect there to be comprehensive, consistent protocols between schools and districts, and the regular communication of these protocols to families. However, this most often is not the case.

While there is specific session law in Massachusetts which requires every school and athletic program to “to develop an interscholastic athletic head injury safety training program,” there are no such requirements for child abuse prevention, recognition, response or reporting. There are requirements in Massachusetts for teachers and school staff to undergo training to understand their roles as Mandated Reporters, yet there are no requirements for specific policies or procedures regarding this within any school district in Massachusetts. In many instances this leads to confusion, disorganization, and at times a loss of effective reporting in school districts that continues to this day. Minimal or over-complicated policies related to recognizing and reporting abuse of children in schools reduces the likelihood that mandated reporters in school make effective reports, which may increase the possibility of children being harmed.

What if we took this a step further? While we know our culture and communities already place an enormous burden on schools, it must be said that for several years now there has been a near constant conversation related to safety in schools. Schools teach young children how to stop, drop, and role, “just say no”, dial 9-1-1, and look both ways to cross the street, and how to hide from active threats or active shooters. However, where are the conversations about body safety? Consent? Defining abuse and why it’s not ok? Talking about domestic violence and why it’s ok to ask for help?

There are no requirements in Massachusetts for these types of conversations. Additionally, there are no specific requirements or standards for child abuse prevention at the legislative level as a part of the “safe and supportive school” requirements. Anything which could be considered as a standard for this level of care is often left to school committees at a local level, who most often are not child abuse experts.

While there is a lot that schools do well in communicating to the communities they support, there is great room for improvement when it comes to communicating about child abuse prevention, recognition, response, and reporting policies. As a community we regularly don’t ask to see a school’s policies, procedures and protocols related to disclosures of abuse, or ask about if schools teach prevention. If something is not discussed, it won’t be addressed. If it is not addressed, it won’t be improved. As a community, we deserve to have a unified practice of how all schools, at every grade level, operate towards the prevention, early recognition, and effective response and reporting of child abuse on the Cape & Islands.

If there are any parents, caregivers, teachers, school committees or superintendents who would like to support this endeavor, please contact Jacob Stapledon, Children’s Cove’s Community Engagement and Education Program Manager, at Jacob.Stapledon@childrenscover.org to start this conversation.

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Do Stiffer Penalties for Child Sexual Abuse Crimes Have the Desired Effect?

May 23, 2023

Earlier this month, Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill expanding the death penalty for a number of crimes including sexual assault and sexual battery for children under the age of 12. This is a part of a larger initiative in the state of Florida to increase consequences for more severe criminal offenses such as crimes against children. However, the tougher sentencing in this state legislation may not have the desired deterrence when it comes to crimes against children.

In cases of sexual violence, and crimes against children, there is a component that many lawmakers fail to understand. Regardless of the state in which you reside, everyone is protected by the United States Constitution. The Sixth Amendment to the United States Bill of Rights allows the accused to be “confronted with the witnesses against him and to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses and his favor.” Because of this right, every state has a requirement to some degree in which someone who is a victim of a crime must testify in the trial of a person accused of committing the crime.

According to the Massachusetts Children’s Alliance, last year 7,346 children sought help at Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) across the Commonwealth. Forty-four percent of those children were under 12 years old. One of the greatest challenges in securing prosecution of individuals who are allegedly committing crimes against children is the requirement of the child victim to testify in court.

Here is the obstacle in prosecuting the perpetrators of child sexual abuse – more than 90% of them are somebody that child knows, trusts, and most likely, loves. Thirty to 40% of perpetrators of sexual abuse are family members, whether directly in the home or extended family. Children who disclose their abuse often talk about their struggles of asking for help (of which only 1 in 10 child victims ever will), often over the concern of the consequences for that loved one.

What many fail to understand is that sexual crimes against children happen gradually over time. Perpetrators groom their victims and manipulate the environment around a child who is their target, including parents and adults who know the victim. They create an atmosphere of trust and incrementally desensitize the child to sexual conversations, images, or behavior. Or they take advantage of that child’s limited knowledge of sexual matters or their inability to communicate what is happening.

Often, when a child first understands that what is happening should not be happening, there is immense confusion. These perpetrators of child sexual abuse manipulate the mind of children to make them believe that they themselves are doing something wrong, rather than the offender. The guilt, shame, and embarrassment the victim feels prevents them from wanting to talk about it. Not only do perpetrators create so much confusion and shame within children, but they also try to make others around them unlikely to believe the child even if they do ask for help.

Moreover, if a child asks for help, seeks support, and begins the process of trying to hold this person accountable, these predators know that the likelihood of them going to trial is very small. While children provide initial disclosure of abuse when working with a CAC, the testimony provided in these initial reports cannot be used in court. Even if the evidence of abuse is clear in a victim’s testimony at the CAC, that perpetrator has a right to a trial, has a right to an attorney, and has a right for that attorney to cross-examine the victim to create reasonable doubt. This challenge often leads to sexual abuse cases, especially those against young children, dropped or plead out for a significantly reduced sentence, or sometimes no punishment at all.

While increasing the penalty for committing child sexual abuse to a capital offense may seem like an increased deterrent, it may not change the fact these crimes are hard to prosecute. The challenge for law enforcement is the connection between the perpetrator and the child, whether it is a connection of trust or a familial relationship. There could also be a correlation between the victim’s willingness to ask for help and what is the consequence that help could mean for the individual or their family.

Children can identify at an incredibly early age the roles within families. Sometimes the role of the perpetrator is the sole breadwinner, who takes care of the family financially. If that person went away, what would happen to their family? Or what if everyone adored that person, and this child comes forward with a heinous allegation of abuse, would everyone else hate them, would they support the victim, or would they blame them for the loss of this adult? What if this abuser is the only adult they have in their life? Would that child want to see them in jail forever or killed?

This overwhelming requirement in the criminal justice system for children to make decisions impacting the life of a perpetrator is devastatingly unfair. It is far too much to require child victims to testify in court in front of strangers and be cross-examined about one of the worst experiences in their own life, while recalling all the embarrassing and shameful details.

Yes, there is a need to provide deterrence of this behavior and to penalize actions of it. However, our criminal justice system is established for adults, which gives little assistance to the needs of children or their rights. If we truly wish to change our society, to reduce crimes against children and increase consequences for perpetrators of abuse, we need to do more than enact stiffer penalties. There needs to be requirements for child protection and safety standards in every youth serving organization nationally. There needs to be clear and understandable reporting guidelines for suspicions of abuse in all youth serving organizations and frequent required training of how to follow those guidelines. There needs to be reduced barriers for reports by mandated reporters and less opportunity for bureaucratic systems to hold up reports of suspected abuse. And there needs to be a national standard for who qualifies as a mandated reporter and when they are obligated to report.

For so long there has been so much talk about how our children are our future, however, there is no standard, no expectation of how we will come together collectively to protect them from child abuse. And, in instances where systems fail to protect children, there needs to be a better way in which children can be supported to hold perpetrators accountable.

Sources:

1. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/desantis-expands-death-penalty-include-child-rape-setting-likely-court-rcna82413
2. https://www.aclu.org/united-states-bill-rights-first-10-amendments-constitution
3. https://machildrensalliance.org

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It’s Time to Have The Conversation

April 18, 2023

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which is an important time for non-profits and advocacy groups to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect. The statistics on child abuse are overwhelming. One in four girls — and one in six boys — will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. Most victims suffer in silence. It is estimated that more than 90 percent of abuse victims never report what happened to them. Even more alarming is that more than 90 percent of perpetrators are someone that an abused child knows and trusts – a coach, camp counselor, teacher, someone in their faith community, or a family member. This is a public health crisis our communities must face.

April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month, in which 1 in 6 women and 1 in 26 men will experience a sexual assault in adulthood. Young men in college face a risk of sexual assault five times higher than the national average. This month is a rallying cry across the state and nation to urge our community to come together to make a difference.

So, for these two important awareness initiatives, Children’s Cove, Independence House, a Safe Place Nantucket and CONNECT to End Violence have partnered in an effort to create a joint public awareness poster campaign titled “It’s Time to Have the Conversation.” With this first collaborative campaign, for the first time in our organizations’ histories, we are united to bring the issues of exploitation, assault and abuse of adults and children to the forefront of our community conversations. We need to engage our community at a broader level to truly impact the future. The poster features bold colors to catch attention, Cape & Island imagery, concise language, and a QR code and website URL where anyone can learn about the services our agencies provide on the Cape and Islands. The website includes direct access to emergency hotlines to help survivors of abuse gain access to supportive services.

As part of the campaign, we are partnering with local area Chambers of Commerce to encourage local businesses to share these posters in spaces such as bathrooms or other communal areas where victims of abuse may see them and learn about help available to them. Each of our organizations will also be distributing posters across our community to raise awareness, and work together on a matching social media campaign.

Our message has been missing in locations that people frequent. It is missing in restaurants and bars. It is missing in recreational centers and activities. It is missing in hotels and resorts. We are missing in the places most people work, or shop, or get their lunch. For too long, our visibility has been missing from most people’s lives. For too long, sexual and domestic violence has remained a taboo subject hidden in the shadows, which increases the likelihood of the victimization, and minimizes the chances someone will receive support.

As a community, we cannot afford to do that anymore.

Sexual assault, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and sexual exploitation happens here. It happens in every town on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. These issues impact people of all ages, genders, cultural backgrounds, and socioeconomic status.

“It’s Time to Have the Conversation.” It’s time to bring these issues to light.

We believe we can create communities where everyone lives free from abuse, has a voice that is heard, and can enjoy healthy, safe, and empowered lives. And we need your help to do it.

If you would like to support the mission to raise awareness about these issues, please reach out to the representative from the organization that serves your area:

Jacob Stapledon, Children’s Cove, Jacob.Stapledon@childrenscove.org

Chris Morin, Independence House, ChrisM@indhouse.net

Morgan Beausoleil, CONNECT to End Violence, MBeausoleil@mvcommunityservices.org

Rachel Devine, A Safe Place Nantucket, rachel@asafeplacenantucket.org

A special thank you to each member of this committee in their incredible work on this project. And an additional special thanks to the team at Pierce-Coté Advertising for turning the concept of our vision into reality.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences: The Hidden Public Health Crisis

March 20, 2023

In 2014, Pediatrician Nadine Burke, later appointed as Surgeon General of California (2019-2022), presented a TedTalk which summarized a major public health crisis impacting Americans. Dr. Burke Harris stated:

In the mid-’90s, the CDC and Kaiser Permanente discovered an exposure that dramatically increased the risk for seven out of ten of the leading causes of death in the United States. In high doses, it affects brain development, the immune system, hormonal systems, and even the way our DNA is read and transcribed. Folks who are exposed in very high doses have triple the lifetime risk of heart disease and lung cancer and a 20-year difference in life expectancy. And yet, doctors today are not trained in routine screening or treatment. Now, the exposure I’m talking about is not a pesticide or a packaging chemical. It’s childhood trauma.”

When Dr. Burke Harris references childhood trauma, she explains that this term falls under a larger category of what is called Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define ACE as “…traumatic events that occur in childhood such as experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect, witnessing violence in the home or community and/or having a family member attempt or die by suicide. Also included are aspects of the child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding, such as growing up in a household with substance use, mental health problems, or instability due to parental separation or household members being in jail or prison.” According to the CDC, 61% of adults surveyed had experienced at least one type of ACE before age 18, and nearly 1 in 6 reported they had experienced four or more.

The original ACE study in the 1990’s, in which more than 17,000 individuals across 25 states participated, found a direct link between a high of number of ACEs causing greater negative outcomes across the span of a person’s life.

This is illustrated by the CDC’s ACE Pyramid:

Additional surveys taken in the late 2010’s, assessing the impacts of ACE in smaller and more diverse communities have replicated this link and identified that the impacts of ACE may also increase the risk for the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

With such profound results and studies about ACE, it is concerning that so many in the general public haven’t heard of it. In our community engagement and education efforts, Children’s Cove has often found that even professionals and community members have heard not of ACE.

It is hard to understand how a public health crisis of this magnitude goes largely unnoticed or unknown in the general community. It certainly isn’t due to the lack of evidence-based information. So why is this? Dr. Burke Harris offers a theory in her TedTalk:

You know, at first I thought that we marginalized the issue because it doesn’t apply to us. That’s an issue for those kids in those neighborhoods. Which is weird, because the data doesn’t bear that out… If I were to ask how many people in this room grew up with a family member who suffered from mental illness, I bet a few hands would go up. And then if I were to ask how many folks had a parent who maybe drank too much, or who really believed that if you spare the rod, you spoil the child, I bet a few more hands would go up. Even in this room, this is an issue that touches many of us, and I am beginning to believe that we marginalize the issue because it does apply to us. Maybe it’s easier to see in other zip codes because we don’t want to look at it. We’d rather be sick.”

Is this the case? Is the lack of awareness, conversation and acknowledgement of the problem exist because it impacts so many of us?

Let’s find out.

The full questionnaire in the original ACE study was very comprehensive with more than 200 questions. So, in order to help more people, the organization ACEs Too High winnowed down those questions to a simple questionnaire, and here it is:

Prior to your 18th birthday:

• Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you or act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?
• Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often push, grab, slap, or throw something at you or ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?
• Did an adult or person at least 5 years older than you ever touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way or attempt or have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you?
• Did you often or very often feel that no one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special? Or your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to each other, or support each other?
• Did you often or very often feel that you didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you? Or were your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?
• Were your parents ever separated or divorced?
• Was your mother or stepmother often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her or sometimes, often, or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, or hit with something hard, or ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?
• Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs?
• Was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide?
• Did a household member go to prison?

Every time a person answers “yes” to one of the above questions, it is an affirmation of an Adverse Childhood Experience.

Regardless of the total number, it is important to understand that individuals may be negatively impacted across time, however, it is not a given.  There is hope for a better future when positive experiences, protective factors, and early-intervention efforts are implemented following trauma. These mitigating actions can reduce the influence of ACE to lessen the unhealthy impacts across someone’s lifespan.

We believe that the best way to mitigate the lifelong impacts of ACE in our communities is by talking about it. We need to continue conversations in our family and friend groups, ask teachers, counselors, and pediatricians if they have heard of the ACE study and if not, ask them to learn about it. Our society needs the ACE study to become a requirement in higher education degrees for those who wish to work in counseling, social work, or medicine.

It can be hard for individuals to acknowledge ACE experiences, but in doing so it may change the narrative of one’s own childhood and relationships with family and friends. It can also be beneficial to prevention efforts by helping to identify ways in which families and communities could reduce the likelihood of ACE in the next generation.

Understanding protective factors and working as a community to support children and families is critical, as well as acknowledging the impacts of ACE and how to reduce the effects of these experiences through early intervention. As a Child Advocacy Center for Cape Cod and the Islands, Children’s Cove will utilize evidenced based practices to help children who have experienced violence and abuse. Our network of community providers is here to offer hope and healing to mitigate the long-term impacts of trauma.

If you would like to learn more about how we can create a community where children are free of abuse, have a voice that is heard, and can enjoy healthy, safe, and empowered lives, please contact Jacob Stapledon, Community Engagement and Education Program Manager at Children’s Cove.

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