Drop in abuse reports worries D.A.

WEST CHESTER » Prosecutors across Pennsylvania, including Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan, are worried about a drop in reported cases of abuse during the shutdown, “stay at home,” phase of the coronavirus outbreak.

Authorities do not sense that the number of abuses have dropped, but rather the ability and opportunity fo reports has been compromised by the nature of the situation victims may find themselves in.

They are urging those who either suspect instances of abuse, or who have themselves faced physical, or sexual, abuse, not to turn

away from seeking help from law enforcement authorities.

“During this pandemic two of our most vulnerable populations, our seniors and our children, will undoubtedly suffer in unprecedented ways,” said Ryan in response to calls from state Attorney General Josh Shapiro for continued scrutiny. “Our office has seen a precipitous drop in the number of child abuse reports since March. We typically see a decline in reports each summer when children are home, but never like this.

“We rely upon our mandated reporters to speak up for our children, but in this crisis not enough safeguards are in place to keep them protected,” she said in a statement.

The numbers that Ryan reported in response to questions about child abuse referrals were significant.

According to her statement, in March 2019 there were 215 reports to the office. In March 2020, there were 69 fewer, 146. In April, the number had dropped to 72, 128 reports fewer than the 200 in April 2019.

Meanwhile, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said on Wednesday that his county’s suspected child abuse reports to the ChildLine child abuse reporting system were down 38 percent in March, and even more alarming 61percent in April. Earlier this week, the York Daily Record reported on a 50 percent reduction in (statewide) calls to ChildLine

Part of the problem, Ryan noted, is that children, especially, have been taken out of their schools, where they normally would come in contact with those teachers, counselors, or others who are responsible for reporting instances of suspected or reported abuse.

“We rely upon our mandated reporters to speak up for our children, but in this crisis, not enough safeguards are in place to keep them protected,” she said. The District Attorney’s Office operates a Child Abuse Unit, of which Ryan was previously a supervisor, and also handles cases of elder abuse.

“Our Children’s Advocacy Center is open and we are actively investigating child abuse cases, knowing that it’s more critical than ever to protect children in these challenging times,” Ryan said. “But, we all have an obligation to ensure the protection of children, so if you see something say something, whether you are a mandated reporter or not. We must attempt to checkin with our family, neighbors and friends to monitor our loved ones’ health and safety.

“Our children depend on us to do the right thing,” she declared.

On Wednesday, Shapiro called on Pennsylvanians to report suspected instances of child abuse, saying data suggests there could be a surge in unreported cases.

“With 1-in-5 Pennsylvanians out of work, financial stress can too often escalate into violence and abuse,” he said. “While most families are able to cope and do their part during this emergency to protect our health care workers, neighbors and communities by staying home and staying safe— some will not.”

Since Pennsylvania schools closed in March, calls to ChildLine, the state’s child abuse hotline, were down by half in April. In 2018, 84 percent of child abuse reports came from mandated reporters, with the most coming from school employees. During the recession of 2008, when people across the nation where dealing with severe financial desperation, pediatricians reported an uptick in infant injuries and deaths.

“As our office works around the clock to protect Pennsylvanians during this crisis, we need the public to help out. Children are physically disconnected from mandated reporters, including teachers, coaches, and school staff,” said Shapiro. “I urge all Pennsylvanians to stay vigilant for signs of abuse happening to the children in their lives. It’s critical that we protect the vulnera

Concerned citizens can report suspected child abuse to the Pennsylvania ChildLine by calling 1-800-9320313. Pennsylvanians can report a Safe2Say tip through the app, available on the Android and Apple stores, or by calling 1-844-SAF2SAY (7232729). The Attorney General’s office also has a Child Predator Hotline number for online sexual exploitation of children at 800-385-1044.