One in Ten

In this episode of 'One in Ten,' hosted by Teresa Huizar, Dr. Sheryl Chatfield from Kent State University discusses the alarming rise in youth suicides and its correlation with technology use. Delving into data from the National Violent Death Reporting System, Dr. Chatfield highlights the significant impact of technology, including social media and gaming, on youth mental health. They explore the triggers leading to suicidal thoughts, focusing on restrictions on technology use as precipitating factors. Dr. Chatfield also discusses the demographic trends in youth suicide and suggests prevention strategies, emphasizing the importance of diverse leisure activities and open...

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Jim Hamilton, an associate professor adjunct at Yale School of Medicine, on the topic of medical child abuse. They explore the complexities of why caregivers might fabricate illnesses in their children, the significant discrepancies that pediatricians should look for, and the systemic issues that enable this form of abuse. Dr. Hamilton shares insights from his experience and research, including an innovative study using school nurses to understand the prevalence and detection of medical child abuse. The episode underscores the importance of early...

In this episode of 'One in Ten,' host Teresa Huizar speaks with Dr. Maggie Stevenson, Associate Professor of Psychology at Kenyon College, about the interplay between jurors' personal histories of child sexual abuse and their attitudes and decisions in similar cases. The conversation delves into Dr. Stevenson's meta-analysis study, which explores whether adult survivors of child sexual abuse exhibit more empathy toward child victims and examines the implications for jury selection. The discussion highlights how severity of past abuse impacts juror empathy, potential biases, and the need for more trauma-informed practices within the court system. The episode raises...

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar talks with Dr. Matt Kafafian from George Washington University about his research on how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the nature of the characteristics of exploited youth served by a Children’s Advocacy Center. Dr. Kafafian discusses significant findings from studies examining post-pandemic changes in the identification and referral of commercially sexually exploited children and youth. They explore how shifts to online environments and evolving police and social service practices have impacted the demographics and types of exploitation cases being reported. Key points include the new challenges facing child ab...

 In this episode of 'One in Ten', host Teresa Huizar speaks with researcher Scarlet Cho, a doctoral student at the University of California Irvine, about the reluctance of trafficked youth to disclose their experiences to authorities. They explore the unique challenges these youth face, including complex relationships with their exploiters, mistrust of police and legal systems, and the adversarial nature of initial police interactions. Scarlet shares insights from her research on forensic interviews and court testimonies, highlighting the need for better rapport-building strategies and trauma-informed approaches to improve the disclosure process and support for these vulnerable adolescents. 

In this episode of 'One in Ten,' host Teresa Huizar engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Rosaleen McElvaney, a clinical psychologist and lecturer in psychology at Dublin City University. They delve into the often-overlooked impact of child sexual abuse on non-abused siblings. The discussion covers topics such as the changes in sibling relationships post-disclosure, the psychological and emotional toll on non-abused siblings, and the challenges in providing adequate support. Dr. McElvaney shares insights from her research, which includes both a small qualitative study and a larger survey, emphasizing the need for more attention and resources dedicated to...

This episode originally aired November 7, 2024.

In this episode of One in Ten, Teresa Huizar interviews Dr. Melanie Nadon from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, about the intricacies of mandatory reporting in child abuse cases. The discussion delves into the disparities in report substantiations by educators compared to other professionals, the influence of socio-political shifts on welfare referrals, and the challenges of over-reporting. The conversation highlights findings from Dr. Nadon's recent study, shedding light on the complex interplay between poverty, race, and the child welfare system. The episode emphasizes the need for refined mandatory...

In this episode of 'One in Ten,' host Teresa Huizar interviews Dr. Maddison North, an assistant professor at Middle Tennessee State University, about burnout and turnover among victim advocates. The conversation explores the causes and consequences of burnout, highlighting the chronic exposure to secondary trauma, high workload, and insufficient resources. Dr. North discusses the Job Demands Resource Model, organizational and supervisory support's role, and findings from her recent study on retention and burnout in victim advocacy. They delve into how work culture, team support, purpose, and organizational strategies can mitigate burnout and enhance employee well-being. 

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Show Notes

In this episode of 'One in Ten,' host Teresa Huizar interviews Dr. Kimberly Mitchell from the University of New Hampshire's Crimes Against Children Research Center. The discussion centers on image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) and its unique, amplifying effects on victims. They delve into the disturbing prevalence of various forms of IBSA, including coercion and threatening behavior among youth. The conversation also explores the severe psychological impacts such as increased risk of suicide and non-suicidal self-injury among victims.  

Additionally, Dr. Mitchell discusses the challenges and complexities of researching this rapidly evolving f...

Show Notes

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar speaks with Dr. Dylan Jones, a postdoctoral fellow at Penn State University, about the nuanced circumstances surrounding partial sibling placements in foster care. They explore the frequency, reasons, and impacts of cases where some siblings are placed in foster care while others remain at home. Key topics include the legal gaps in sibling visitation rights, the common scenarios leading to partial placements, and the implications for children's safety and well-being. Dr. Jones shares insights from his research utilizing Incans data and outlines future...

In this episode of "One in Ten," host Teresa Huizar interviews Dr. Jessica Shaw, an associate professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, about the criminal justice system's response to adolescent sexual assault. They discuss mandatory reporting laws, prosecution rates, and the broader implications for survivors. Dr. Shaw, a community psychologist, shares her extensive research findings, highlighting systemic challenges and the critical importance of procedural justice in healing. They also explore the role of multidisciplinary responses, the impact of environment on victim experience, and the influence of community and systems in supporting survivors. The episode underscores the need for...

In this episode of One in Ten, Teresa Huizar speaks with Dr. Vanessa Bouché, research fellow at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, about child sex trafficking and the 25-year impact of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). The conversation delves into the origins and patterns of child sex trafficking, the federal and state legislative responses, and the importance of empirical data in shaping effective policies. Dr. Bouché shares insights from her studies, highlighting the intersection with other forms of child abuse and the need for increased prevention efforts. The episode also explores the role of technology and corporate ac...

In this episode of 'One in Ten,' host Teresa Huizar speaks with Dr. Ernie Jouriles, professor and director of clinical training at Southern Methodist University, to explore the profound influence of spirituality and divine struggles on children and teens who have experienced sexual abuse. They discuss why some young individuals perceive their abuse as divine punishment, the role of self-blame, and the minimal attention the intersection of spirituality and mental health has received in child maltreatment literature. Dr. Jouriles shares findings from his studies, revealing significant predictors of trauma symptoms over time and highlighting the need for a...

This episode features a live conference panel discussion led by NCA CEO, Teresa Huizar, at the 2025 NCA Leadership Conference. Highlighting their theme of 'Everyday Champions,' the discussion features three inspiring survivor advocates: Jenna Quinn, Jimmy Widdifield, and Dr. Danielle Moore. Each panelist shares their experiences, challenges, and motivations for becoming public voices for change. They delve into critical topics such as survivor involvement, the importance of trauma-informed approaches, and the ethics of utilizing survivor stories. Practical advice and personal anecdotes emphasize the importance of support, authenticity, and the avoidance of exploitation or tokenism. The segment concludes with each...

In this episode of “One in Ten,” host Teresa Huizar speaks with Dr. Lisa Nichols, an assistant professor at the University of Northern Colorado, to discuss the challenges faced by child abuse detectives. The episode delves into the complexities and emotional toll of child sexual abuse investigations, highlighting findings from Dr. Nichols' study. Key themes include understaffing, high turnover, funding issues, the emotional impact on detectives, and communication challenges with Child Protective Services (CPS). Dr. Nichols emphasizes the need for better support and resources, including culturally competent mental health services, to improve the wellbeing and effectiveness of these law enfo...

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar talks with researcher Kotomi Yokokura about the critical issue of educator sexual misconduct and the role of electronic communication in these offenses. Yokokura shares her personal motivation and findings from her study, which reveals the alarming prevalence of misconduct, including frequent use of social media and messaging apps for grooming. They discuss the need for clearer policies, better informed consent from parents, and the implications of increased technology use in education post-pandemic. They also highlight the challenges and potential solutions in protecting students both online and offline. 

Duration: 00:38:19

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar speaks with Dr. Melissa Bright, founder and executive director of the Center for Violence Prevention Research. They discuss the What's OK Helpline, a groundbreaking initiative designed to help youth with problematic sexual behaviors seek intervention and support. Dr. Bright shares insights from her research and experiences with the helpline, highlighting the surprising number of young people proactively seeking help for their behaviors and the importance of early intervention. The episode sheds light on how this service is changing narratives around youth and sexual harm, offering hope and practical solutions...

Host Teresa Huizar speaks with Dr. Emily Putnam-Hornstein and Dr. Sarah Font, co-principal investigators of Lives Cut Short, about the persistent issue of child abuse fatalities and why progress in reducing these deaths has stalled. The episode delves into the emotional impact of child abuse cases, the challenges of accurate data collection, the reluctance to discuss child safety, and the need for systemic changes. They also highlight the importance of transparency and evidence-based interventions, and recommend practical steps that policymakers can take to better protect vulnerable children.

Editor's note: Dr. Font's connection during the interview...

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar talks with Dr. Rebecca Rebbe, an assistant professor at UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work, to delve into the complex intersection of child abuse and domestic violence. The discussion covers the co-occurrence of these issues, especially affecting very young children, and addresses concerns about overexposure to foster care. They examine the challenges of identifying and managing cases involving domestic violence, neglect, substance abuse, and mental illness. Dr. Rebbe elaborates on her research using data from California's child welfare system to shed light on safety assessments, substantiation rates, and...

In this episode of One in Ten, Teresa Huizar speaks with Katie Connell, a forensic interviewing expert and retired FBI unit chief, about the impact of mass violence on children. They discuss the prevalence of mass violence incidents, the importance of trauma-informed care for child witnesses, and the evolving roles of Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) in these tragic events. The conversation explores challenges and strategies in interviewing child witnesses, the need for strong community partnerships, and long-term impacts on affected communities. Insights are also shared on supporting the resilience of first responders and the critical role of CACs in...

In this episode of One in Ten, Teresa Huizar interviews Dr. Luciana Assini-Meytin from the MOORE Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They discuss the effectiveness of policies and procedures implemented by various institutions to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse over the past two decades. The conversation explores boundary-violating behaviors, the role of codes of conduct, and the impact of these measures on child safety. The episode highlights research findings showing a decline in abuse within some organizations, while also identifying areas needing further improvement. Dr. Assini-Meytin...

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar speaks with Dr. Meg Sullivan, former Acting Assistant Secretary for the Administration of Children and Families, about the efforts and policies of the Biden administration in child welfare. The discussion explores challenges like preventing child abuse, the effectiveness of foster care placements, and strategies for addressing family neglect without primarily associating it with poverty. Dr. Sullivan highlights significant achievements, ongoing challenges, and promising practices like the Family First Prevention Act, which emphasizes preventative measures to keep families together. The conversation also touches on innovative programs that provide direct financial...

In this episode of 'One in Ten,' host Teresa Huizar interviews Dr. Jane Silovsky, Director of the Center of Child Abuse and Neglect at the University of Oklahoma, Health Sciences Center. They discuss the often-overlooked issue of sibling sexual abuse and preschool-aged children, examining risk factors, prevalence, and the challenges in addressing this sensitive topic. Key points include the difference in behaviors between preschoolers and older children, the role of maltreatment, and the impact of exposure to sexual content online. Dr. Silovsky emphasizes hope through effective treatment and offers practical advice for child abuse professionals on handling these...

In this episode, titled 'What Adult Survivors Tell Us About Grooming,' Teresa Huizar interviews Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic, a leading researcher on grooming behaviors. They discuss Dr. Jeglic's recent study involving adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and the prevalence of grooming behaviors. Dr. Jeglic elaborates on the stages of grooming and details specific red flag behaviors that indicate potential grooming. The conversation emphasizes the importance of educating children, parents, and teachers to recognize and prevent grooming. They also touch on policy implications and the need for evidence-based prevention programs. This episode serves as a deep dive into the...

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar speaks with Arturo Garcia, a doctoral researcher at the University of South Florida, about child sex trafficking and its intersection with foster care. They delve into the factors contributing to child sex trafficking, the vulnerabilities tied to foster care, and the reasons why children run away from safe environments. Garcia discusses his research on behavioral analysis and its application in understanding and mitigating these issues. The conversation highlights the importance of multidisciplinary approaches and interventions, as well as the need for systemic changes and better connectivity among support services.<...

In this episode of One in Ten, Teresa Huizar interviews Dr. Melanie Nadon from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, about the intricacies of mandatory reporting in child abuse cases. The discussion delves into the disparities in report substantiations by educators compared to other professionals, the influence of socio-political shifts on welfare referrals, and the challenges of over-reporting. The conversation highlights findings from Dr. Nadon's recent study, shedding light on the complex interplay between poverty, race, and the child welfare system. The episode emphasizes the need for refined mandatory reporting training and better public policy solutions to support families...

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar converses with Klejdis Bilali, a doctoral researcher at the University of South Florida's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Lab, about the intricate connections between childhood abuse, substance abuse, and the commercial sex industry. The dialogue explores the intergenerational pathways leading to involvement in the sex trade, particularly focusing on the specific vulnerabilities faced by mothers. The discussion delves into the emotional and psychological impacts of child custody relinquishment among trafficked women, the ethical dilemmas they face, and the socioeconomic stigmas surrounding substance-using mothers. It also addresses the systemic gaps in...

In this episode of 'One in Ten,' host Teresa Huizar interviews Amy Adams, a Ph.D. doctoral researcher at the University of Birmingham, about the complex and often overlooked issue of sibling sexual abuse. They discuss the challenges surrounding the disclosure and identification of such cases, the family dynamics involved, and the societal stigmas associated. Amy shares her extensive research findings from the National Sibling Sexual Abuse Project, including the prevalence, family stressors, and the need for whole-family, trauma-informed approaches to intervention. The conversation highlights the importance of public awareness and comprehensive support systems to help families navigate...

In this episode of "One in Ten," host Teresa Huizar speaks with Dr. Zirui Song, an Associate Professor of Healthcare Policy and Medicine at Harvard Medical School, about the extensive impact of firearm injuries on children and their families. They discuss the often overshadowed effects of these injuries, such as the long-term trauma and significant healthcare costs. Dr. Song shares findings from his research, which reveals that not only do surviving children face increased physical pain, psychiatric disorders, and substance use, but their families also suffer substantial mental health impacts and financial strains. They delve into the demographics of...

In this episode of One in Ten, Teresa Huizar speaks with Gaelin Elmore, Youth Advocate, Speaker, and Belonging Champion. They discuss the significant impact of belonging on children who have faced adversities, and how child abuse professionals can incorporate belonging into their work to foster better outcomes. Gaelin shares his personal journey of resilience and the profound importance of belonging in his life, highlighting practical steps for professionals to create environments that foster belonging for the youth they serve. 

Learn more about Gaelin at his website

Time Stamps: 

00:00 Introduction to the Episode 

0...

Why Don't More Teachers Report Abuse? Understanding the Challenges and Solutions

In this episode of 'One in Ten,' host Teresa Huizar speaks with Amanda Glouchkow, a Research Assistant at the University of Ottawa, about the complexities teachers face in identifying and reporting child abuse. They discuss the accuracy of teachers identifying various forms of abuse, the inconsistency in reporting, and the international differences in training and cultural norms. The conversation explores underlying factors such as teacher training, beliefs, and systemic support, highlighting the need for better preparation and support for teachers as mandatory reporters. Amanda also...

How do we persuade people more effectively and more authentically? And how does telling our own leadership story help those we’re trying to persuade to trust us and what we’re trying to do? Storytelling, and using it to make human connections, is a key part of the answer. We spoke with Sally Zimney, the author of Speaking Story, to learn more.

 Topics in this episode:

02:41 – Origin story

06:22 – Storytelling is having a moment

11:27 – Female leaders, storytelling, and leadership

15:14 – What is a story?

16:58 – Misconceptions about storytelling

19:33 – Find...

Black children and other children of color are less likely to be believed when reporting sexual violence and are considered less credible by jurors. But in multidisciplinary team settings, we pride ourselves on openly discussing all aspects of a case and coming into a case neutrally and allowing the disclosure and any corroborating evidence to determine the future direction of a case. But are we overconfident in these factors being enough to avoid disparate substantiation rates in child sexual abuse cases? Dr. Maggie Stevenson joins us to talk about how race affects whether children who disclose sexual abuse are...

When it comes to child sexual abuse and exploitation, a new look at the U.S. shows we’re not doing very well. Economist Impact's Out of the Shadows Index report, supported by World Childhood Foundation USA, sets key indicators for performance on child sexual abuse and exploitation prevention and intervention. And it benchmarks against those indicators in 28 different states—and counting; there will eventually be another report.

Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, all states measured so far have struggled. And if this were a report card, the best performing state would only have a D. What this mean...

Dr. Arline T. Geronimus coined the term “weathering” to describe the effects of systemic oppression—including racism and classism—on the body. In 2023, she published Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society to shine a light on the topic and offer a roadmap for hope. This summer, she joined us at the 2024 NCA Leadership Conference to share her research with child abuse professionals who have dedicated themselves to helping children go on to live happy, healthy lives. This is the conversation Dr. Geronimus had with Teresa Huizar, the CEO of National Children’s Alliance and host of On...

Would you recognize grooming if you saw it? We all think we know what it means, but that doesn’t mean we’re any good at spotting it—even if we’re parents determined to protect our kids from abuse. In fact, if anything, we’re overconfident about our ability to recognize grooming behaviors. Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic returns to One in Ten to discuss recent research on the topic.

 Topics in this episode:

Links:

El...

All of us have had to give more thought to climate change and its effects in recent years. But to what degree have we yet reckoned with the way in which climate change may increase violence against children? Which children are most likely to be affected? What preventative measures can we take now to help mitigate that risk? And how should this knowledge shape our services to children and families, both now and in the future? We speak with Dr. Jorge Cuartas, assistant professor of applied psychology at New York University and senior consultant on violence against children at...

Cases involving problematic sexual behavior are between a quarter and a third of all cases of child sexual abuse that come through Children’s Advocacy Centers. How do we understand this behavior in teens? What are risk factors and key opportunities to interrupt and disrupt this behavior? What do we know about evidence-supported treatment for these teens? And how may existing evidence-based treatments and approaches be shaped and applied? We speak with Dr. Melissa Grady at the School of Social Service at Catholic University and Dr. Jamie Yoder, assistant professor of social work at Colorado State University.

To...

Child sex trafficking is not a new phenomenon. And thankfully, the general public and child abuse professionals have greater awareness than ever of it. But has the full story yet been told? To what extent has the experience of boys been a part of our understanding of sex trafficking of children and youth? What places boys at special risk for trafficking? What vulnerabilities do they have and how might that affect their recruitment? And how can we tailor programs to meet the unique needs and concerns of boys? Join us as we speak with Amanda Connella, graduate research assistant...

Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities are more than three times more likely to experience abuse and neglect than children without these disabilities. We should see a prevention landscape filled with programs tailored to these children. Yet, as Dr. Melissa Bright from the Center for Violence Prevention Research tells us, few such programs exist, and even fewer have been researched for their effectiveness. Why does so little research exist on this uniquely vulnerable population? For child abuse professionals, how might we create or adapt prevention programs for these children? And how do we approach parents and caregivers who may...

While the presence of child sexual abuse images in child sexual abuse cases is not new, the sheer scale and scope and ubiquity of it all is. The exponential growth in the trading of these images has created a sophisticated marketplace designed around exploiting children. Three guests join us today to discuss child sexual abuse materials online (CSAM): Elizabeth and Ted Cross and Stefan Turkheimer. 

What Liz and Ted set out to learn was the degree to which incest played into the production of this material, what types of sex acts those trading in CSAM were most i...

The rise in myths and conspiracy theories about human trafficking have been one of the most frustrating parts of being a child abuse professional over the past few years. It has been a deadly game of whack a mole, because as soon as one myth or conspiracy theory is debunked, yet another arises.

Dr. Maureen Kenny, a professor of psychology at Florida International University, set out to explore why and how these conspiracy theories were endorsed by a diverse college population in hopes that this would give us insight into better education strategies for the wider public...

Geoff Sidoli joins us from NCA’s Institute for Better Mental Health Outcomes to talk about kids with sexual behavior problems. Myths abound about why these kids act out, how treatable they are, and what treatment settings and methods may be most helpful. But research shows that these kids are treatable. So how do we set these kids on a better life trajectory and improve safety at home and in the community?

Topics in this episode:

 Lin...

Homeschooling is the fastest-growing form of education in the U.S., a surge in popularity that crosses every demographic, political, and geographic line. Most parents who homeschool do so with their children’s very best interests in mind. But what about that small but very critical percentage of parents who homeschool in order to hide their child from public view and abuse them? How do we create a policy environment that enhances safety for all children? And how can we factor a homeschool population into child abuse prevention and intervention efforts? Join us as we speak with Angela Grimberg fr...

In the U.S., there are at least 1.2 million immigrants from Middle Eastern and North African countries, and close to 4 million descendants from prior waves of immigration. Yet there’s very little research on the experiences of those families with the U.S. child welfare system. What do we need to know to deliver relevant and culturally appropriate services? Are we affected by assumptions or stereotypes? Do we understand these families’ unique challenges and strengths? Dr. Marina Bassili joined us to help us explore the topic.

Topics in this episode:

To truly address child physical abuse, we have to understand the scope of the problem and how the use of corporal punishment can escalate to the point in which children are harmed. What Dr. Amy Slep and her team did was to set up their research in such a way that it was truly anonymous, and parents could feel very safe to be completely honest about their use of corporal punishment and even their own self-identified physical abuse of their own children. As you will hear, parents admit—and to a shocking degree—physically disciplining infants, an unsafe practice that...

If you listened to the last episode, you learned a lot about effective, evidence-based treatment—specifically, TF-CBT. But what do you do if, as a clinician and researcher, you see that a population of kids is not, perhaps, receiving the full benefit of that treatment? What Dr. Isha Metzger did in recognizing that TF-CBT could be shaped into an even more effective treatment for Black children and youth is groundbreaking work.

This work in identifying racial stressors and racial traumas as compounding other forms of trauma has led to more tailored treatment. And her work identifying the in...

In the mid-90s, little was known about how to effectively treat trauma, especially that trauma that can arise from child sexual abuse. Victims often languished in treatment for years with symptoms that might—or might not—ever improve. Then more research emerged on evidence-based treatments. These effective treatments—with Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) at the fore—were brief, reducing symptoms for many clients swiftly, and therefore swiftly getting kids back to their job of being kids. This has meant reduced suffering and improved healing for kids.

The most exciting part of TF-CBT has been its ongoing...

One of the most compelling problems in child sexual abuse prevention has been how to describe to parents, caregivers, and the general public exactly what signs to look for to identify concerns. Frankly, much of the discussion has been so general because, what might, with hindsight, have been a sign of abuse, might well in another setting be of no concern at all. Describing what grooming behaviors are has up until now been fraught and difficult.

Now enter researcher Elizabeth Jeglic from John Jay College, whose research looks at which behaviors are most clearly linked to child...

Research shows that about 75% of physical abuse starts as physical discipline gone terribly awry. We have years of data showing spanking is ineffective—and, in fact, harmful to kids. But often the topic is treated as a third rail by many child abuse professionals: avoided and ignored.

We spoke to Stacie LeBlanc, CEO of The UP Institute and a champion of No Hit Zones. Why is it so difficult for child abuse professionals to discuss spanking with parents? How do we get past the culture wars on this topic? And how can we open a respectful conversation th...

We struggle to understand and talk about the link between poverty and child abuse. On the one hand, we know that not every poor family abuses and neglects their children, and we don’t want to stigmatize families for their poverty. On the other hand, there is a growing body of literature on the cascading effects of poverty in the lives of families. Paul Bywaters, professor of social work at the University of Huddersfield, joins us today to discuss the relationship between poverty, inequality, and child abuse.

 How do we come alongside and stand with families in pov...

In most countries around the world, girls are disproportionately at risk of, and harmed by, both sexual abuse and exploitation. But we also know that all genders experience sexual violence. And every trauma victim and survivor deserves tailored treatment and care. So what do we know about how boys experience sexual exploitation? What are the unique stigmas and burdens that they bear? How do we tailor interventions to address their specific needs? And how do we ensure that every victim of every gender gets the help that they need to heal? 

Topics in this episode: 

Child sexual abuse is never a child’s fault. Absolutely never. And it’s unrealistic to expect children to somehow fend off the predations of adult offenders. But do jurors believe that? Dr. Jonathan Golding, professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky, asked: What do potential jurors believe about children and resisting abuse? How do these beliefs shape their understanding of who is responsible for that abuse? And how does this influence the outcome at trial? The results of his study are concerning and have implications not only for juror education but also education of the general public at l...

For professionals, one of the saddest aspects of child sexual abuse is the way in which many victims struggle with blaming themselves for the terrible actions of others. This self-blame and feelings of guilt can cause suffering throughout a lifespan if it’s left untreated. Many evidence-based interventions specifically target these negative feelings and erroneous thoughts. But how do children come to believe this in the first place? What makes children mistakenly believe that they’re somehow responsible for the actions of adults? 

Dr. Jouriles’ research set out to examine the relationship between whether and in what way car...

In this panel discussion recorded at the 2023 NCA Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 6, 2023, Dr. Melissa Brymer, Dr. Angela Moreland, and licensed mental health counselor Melissa Sommerville who speak from their personal experience in responding to incidents of mass violence in Sandy Hook; Charleston, South Carolina; Buffalo, New York; and more. How can organizations that support children and families support healthy coping and identify evidence-based trauma and grief treatments when additional assistance is needed? How can we address the additional pain when these incidents target one’s identity—race, ethnicity, gender identity, or religion? And how can we c...

In our culture, when we think of examples of leadership bravery, we often think of huge risk and very heroic images. Hollywood reinforces this with movies like Sully, about a pilot that landed his plane on the Hudson River, or war movies—really, too many to even name. And business TED Talks and articles likewise focus on turnaround artists or grandiose start-ups.

Once we set aside the fictionalized accounts of gutsy leadership, how do we know what bravery in leadership really looks like? Our guest today, leadership coach and author Nicole Bianchi, argues for something more real an...

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? In this rebroadcast of one of our earliest shows, we speak to Prof. 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 cour...

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? In this rebroadcast of an intriguing interview from our first season, we invite 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 s...

Online exploitation of children is sadly not a new phenomenon or topic. But what is new is the dramatic growth of sextortion cases. In “Growing Up Online: Addressing Child Sextortion,” we speak with Katie Connell. Katie is unit chief of the Child Victim Services Unit at the FBI. 

These cases—whether fueled by financial, sexual, or revenge motives—trade on children and youth’s fear that nude or sexual images of them will be shared if they don’t meet offenders’ demands for money or more images. Tragically, the fear, shame, and stigma that victims feel has resulted in iso...

One of the most compelling problems in child sexual abuse prevention has been how to describe to parents, caregivers, and the general public exactly what signs to look for to identify concerns. Frankly, much of the discussion has been so general because, what might, with hindsight, have been a sign of abuse, might well in another setting be of no concern at all. Describing what grooming behaviors are has up until now been fraught and difficult.

Now enter researcher Elizabeth Jeglic from John Jay College, whose research looks at which behaviors are most clearly linked to child...

One of the most vexing questions in child abuse intervention is: How do we know that the work we do makes a difference? We can count the number of kids we serve and the services we provide, but how do we know this actually makes a meaningful difference in the quality of the multidisciplinary team response and to the children and families we serve every single day?

We speak with Seth Boughton, director of data and innovative techniques at the Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers, about how we measure the impact of our work. Our Ou...

We’ve learned so much about the trauma experienced by children who’ve been abused. We know about their clinical symptoms. We know how these affect their functioning at home and at school. And we know about the lifelong impacts of leaving these trauma symptoms untreated. We’re grateful that not only child abuse professionals but your average citizen is now aware that victims of child abuse can develop PTSD at rates and severity to those of soldiers who’ve been to war.

But is that cycle of abuse, trauma symptoms, and PTSD development inevitable? Is it possible...

What causes revictimization? How can we prevent it? There are common factors that contribute to child abuse and neglect that may affect any family: job stress, food insecurity, and intimate partner violence, to name just a few. But military families face additional stressors. Miranda Kaye, Ph.D., associate research professor at Penn State’s Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, and her colleagues set out to examine what, at the individual, family, and community levels, contributed to revictimization. And the findings about community were perhaps some of the most surprising. 

Topics in this episode:

When we think of the holidays, we often think of the sheer joy of it: Spending time with loved ones, eating favorite treats, and reflecting on bygone holidays full of those we love and traditions we love. But for many children and youth, the holidays are fraught, painful reminders of those missing from the holiday table, unexpected trauma triggers, and memories—not of sugarplums and nutcrackers, but of betrayal of trust and sexual violence.

As child abuse professionals, how do we help survivors cope with both the highs and lows that the season can bring? How do we...

Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs), have been growing in the U.S. and around the world as the gold standard response in child abuse intervention for the last 40 years. Central to a CAC is its multidisciplinary team, made up of different professional disciplines, work for different partner agencies, have differing laws that regulate their work, different mandates, and different professional cultures. Those differences can be a source of strength in applying the professional expertise of the group in a holistic way to kids and to the cases that come in. But they can also be a source of tension an...

If you haven’t already read Out of the Shadows, both the country report and the most recent edition, which is focused on U.S. state-by-state analysis, run—don’t walk—to get a copy. As child abuse professionals, you’ve probably wondered how the U.S. and, in fact, your state stack up on child sexual abuse prevention and intervention. The Out of the Shadows Index aims to answer that question by examining the legal framework, public policy, and also investments by states and countries. In today’s episode, we speak with Araceli Irurzun Pérez, research analyst at Economist...

Clergy have a uniquely intimate place in the lives of people of faith: present at baptisms, weddings, sick beds, and funerals. They’re with us when we’re at our worst and at our best, and life’s highs and lows. And while most clergy view this as a sacred trust with parishioners, others—as we have learned—sadly use that access and trust to abuse children.

Anna Segura-Montagut, Ph.D., joins us to discuss a research study that moves beyond news accounts, books, and movies to explore critical questions when working with survivors of clergy abuse. How is sur...

If you’re a child abuse professional, at one time or another you’ve wondered, “Why was this case prosecuted but that one wasn’t?” Or felt frustrated because even though everyone on the multidisciplinary team believed the child had been abused, the case still couldn’t move forward. 

These questions and discussions are a routine part of case review and everyday life on a multidisciplinary team. But they are also often a black box to everybody else: The teacher that reported the abuse, the community, and even the family itself. What would it mean if we could unpack those...

Over the last several years, we’ve become more and more aware of the challenges and—let’s face it—the inadequacies of the child welfare system. Disproportionality is real—the way in which families of color can be caught up in the system at rates that truly boggle the mind. And how about worker shortages, which are also real and tax those still on the front line. More than ever, child protective services has become the system of last resort for families failed by every other system. But what are we going to do about it? 

How do we a...

While we’re on vacation, here’s one of our favorite episodes: “Are We Solving the Wrong Problem in Child Welfare?” When you think of federal child welfare policy, maybe you expect a discussion of foster care and other post-abuse interventions. If so, this conversation with Jerry Milner, former head of the Children’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is going to blow your mind. Because after more than 40 years in child welfare, Milner's leadership of the Children’s Bureau turned a very, very different direction. He explored questions like: What would happen if we turned...

While we're on vacation, here's one of our favorite episodes: "Faith, Trauma, and the Problem of Evil." Many survivors of child sexual abuse struggle with questions of faith: Why did this happen to me? How do I understand what happened to me in the context of my faith? How do I make meaning of these traumatic events going forward? 

While these might sound like strictly theological questions, child abuse professionals respond every day to questions of faith, trauma, and the problem of evil. How do we address with victims, survivors, and the frontline professionals working with them t...

We are complete nerds when it comes to research. This podcast was founded on it, and many listeners receive our weekly research-to-practice briefs. Over the last two decades, a growing evidence base has demonstrated the effectiveness of the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) model. And no one has contributed more to that evidence base than Ted Cross through his sustained research over 20 years. Because of research partnerships, we know more about forensic interviews than ever before. More than about evidence-based mental health treatment than ever before. More about forensic medical evaluation than ever before. And yes, more about the di...

Over the past five years, sexual abuse scandals in sports have continuously been in the news. Whether swimming, tae kwon do, or most famously gymnastics, the variety of sports that have had such scandals point to a very uncomfortable truth that sports has inherent child protection issues, and that these unique vulnerabilities require unique prevention strategies to keep youth athletes safe. Courtney Kiehl, former elite gymnast, abuse survivor, and now an attorney and advocate for child victims and adult survivors of child sexual abuse, joined us to discuss what makes youth athletes so vulnerable, and how we can help.<...

In child maltreatment cases, while our attention is focused on the child and family in front of us, do we give any thought to the child protection system itself? What do we understand about how family separation was baked into the model for Black and Indigenous children right from the very beginning? And how does that play out today? Dr. Jessica Pryce, director of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, joins us to discuss how it would change our work with families to center equity. To center community and the child’s attachment to their corner of the world. Mi...

This is a critical time for the child protection and Children’s Advocacy Center community to be allies for LGBTQ kids. Nearly two dozen states have considered anti-trans bills and some have made it difficult if not impossible for trans youth to receive gender-affirming care. In today’s One in Ten podcast, we speak with Al Killen-Harvey, president and co-founder of the Harvey Institute, about how child abuse professionals can better support LGBTQ youth and families. How can we ensure that child abuse investigations aren’t politicized? How can we identify and overcome our own biases and lack of knowle...

The 1998 CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study helped build public understanding of the consequences of untreated childhood trauma. All these years later, does this tool tell the complete story? In this panel discussion recorded at National Children’s Alliance’s 2022 Leadership Conference, we explore what ACEs can—and can’t—accomplish in terms of influencing public support for policies that benefit kids. How can ACE screenings be used (and misused)? And what’s next for public health messaging that matters. Join Dr. Ernestine Briggs-King and Dr. Jonathan Purtle for a panel discussion moderated by NCA CEO Teresa Huizar in our first...

Justin Fitzsimmons, associate vice president at the National White Collar Crime Center, joins us to raise the alarm about the way in which technology companies, social media outlets, and online privacy advocates are now purposely pitting adult privacy rights against the protection and safety of children. Think end-to-end encryption is totally innocuous? What if that means that pedophiles can endlessly trade child sexual abuse images online with impunity? And how do we—as advocates for children—keep issues of child protection front and center for policy makers, for tech and social media, and ultimately for all Americans?

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If you’ve ever worked anywhere near the criminal justice system, you know how heartbreaking it is when a case goes to trial and you have a clear disclosure and great victim testimony and really solid corroborating evidence—and the jury acquits. In a child sexual abuse case, what would make a jury hear all of that and still acquit? Tayler Jones-Cieminski and other researchers set out to explore that very question, especially one specific aspect of juror beliefs: the myth about the prevalence of false allegations. What would happen at trial if there were an increased fear of fals...

Today’s episode is a conversation with author and survivor Stephen Mills about his recently published memoir, Chosen. For those who haven’t yet read his book, which we highly recommend, it recounts Mills’ abuse at the hands of a camp counselor over several years, and his long journey towards healing. While many institutional abuse cases involve boys, there are very, very few published accounts of male survivorship. And, if we’re to help boys who have been abused, then it’s critical for us to understand how this experience may differ from that of female survivorship. Mills’ account is deeply mo...

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a great time to talk about the way we message around child abuse and childhood adversities. The ways in which we’ve messaged about childhood adversity in the past may have served us very well, helping people come to terms with how important the topic is, the scope of the problem, and the lifelong impacts of it. But they may not be serving us very well now. 

What if, in describing the problem as enormous and making that the centerpiece of our messaging, we’re making people think that the problem is in...

Does America believe female sexual abusers actually exist? When we think about child sexual abuse, don’t we automatically picture in our mind a father, a stepfather, a Boy Scout leader, a male neighbor, a coach, or a priest? Our minds go there for a very good reason, and that is that 97% of convicted sexual offenders are, in fact, male. But we know that female-perpetrated child sexual abuse does exist.

What are the sort of perceptions—and misperceptions—that abound around this? What are the myths that exist about female-perpetrated sexual abuse? And how do these perceptions differ...

When we think about problematic sexual behaviors in youth, we often think of a neighbor child, or someone at school. Someone acting out in the community with a child of our own. But rarely do we think about sibling sexual abuse, which we think of as somehow very rare. As you’re going to hear in this episode, it isn’t. It’s not uncommon.

Some of the most difficult cases we deal with at Children's Advocacy Centers are sibling sexual abuse cases. Mom and Dad come in, horribly upset. You have one child who is the victim...

In recent years, how we look at the Olympics and elite sports has begun to change—driven by cases like that of Larry Nassar, the team doctor who for years and years got away with sexually assaulting and sexually abusing girls and young women. Marci Hamilton, the founder and CEO of CHILD USA, a think tank dedicated to child abuse and neglect, lead a case autopsy, conducted by subject-matter experts to find out how this was allowed to happen. And how can we prevent it from ever happening again? The Game Over Commission explored the toxic culture of sports, which va...

Over the past 18 months, systemic and structural discrimination have received widespread—and, let’s face it, much-needed—media attention and public discussion. But what hasn’t had the same level of attention is interpersonal discrimination. The nasty comments. The othering. The exclusion—not at the hands of a faceless bureaucracy, but in our own communities, between individual people. Now, many of us were raised with a sort of “sticks and stones can break our bones, but words can never hurt us” sort of bravado. But what if words, and actions, about our personal appearance, race, gender, and age did create long-te...

Over the past two decades, and in many cases because of statute of limitations reform, many adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse have come forward to seek justice, disclosing painful memories of traumatic events from decades before. And while, thankfully, the general public has grown in its understanding of how and why abused children might delay disclosure well into adulthood, a question that frequently comes up in legal procedures is: How accurate and reliable are memories of events long past? We speak with renowned memory researcher Gail Goodman, who’s also the director of the Center for Public Policy Re...

We're all too familiar with the statistics and issues around child abuse in the U.S. But what do we really know about violence against children globally? Are there approaches other countries take that we should apply in our country? Are there successes we should emulate and pitfalls to avoid?  

And what would it mean if thousands of organizations working to keep kids safe really banded together and demanded government changes to better support families and protect children? Together for Girls, National Children’s Alliance, survivor organizations, and many more are doing just that in the U.S...

We’re always very careful to say that poverty doesn’t cause child neglect and abuse. And we don’t want to conflate these things or have people think that we’re blaming people for being poor. Yet we do know that poverty—particularly chronic and extreme poverty—can create an environment in which neglect and child maltreatment can thrive. Given that connection, could investments in anti-poverty programs actually reduce child maltreatment?

This is a key question, especially given that rates of neglect have only seen modest reductions in the U.S. over the past 40 years. And it was what...

In today’s episode, we speak with Dr. James Herbert, senior research fellow at the Australian Center for Child Protection, the first Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) in Australia. Now, for those of us in the CAC movement or on multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), we sometimes take our work together for granted. The teamwork, the support—the conflict!—and the difficult decisions we make together to protect children. But imagine for a moment coming to that work completely fresh and as a research scientist, as Herbert did, and truly trying to unpack what makes it work.

Now, we know that res...

When we first met Dr. Jane Silovsky years ago, talking about youth with problematic sexual behaviors, it was a pervasive myth in the Children’s Advocacy Center world that CACs could not serve these kids. Somehow they weren’t our kids, somehow they weren’t deserving of help, or somehow they just weren’t ours to serve. But 25% to 30% of our cases each year involve sexually abusing or acting out on other kids. To make any difference at all in that work, we have to serve these kids. This is meaningful prevention work. 

In today’s conversation, we explore...

Our guest today is Dr. Maegan Rides At The Door, the director of the National Native Children’s Trauma Center at the University of Montana. Now, many of us know at least some of the historical trauma faced by Native Americans and Alaska Native families, not just the genocide of the past, but also the boarding school abuses of the very recent past.

How does this impact children today? And how does racism, which is very much in the present, add to the trauma burden these children face? And how do we appreciate and recognize and leverage th...

When we think of military families, we rightly think of sacrifice and duty. But do we also think about resiliency, perseverance, and a sense of community? The unique sense of identity that comes with military service comes with a complex set of supports and struggles for service members. Dr. Stephen Cozza, a researcher and professor at the Uniformed Services University, joins us to explore the unique strengths and challenges of military families. What are the risks and protective factors that we should be aware of in working with military families? How does the phases of deployment and re-entry create...

Nearly a decade ago, a coalition of national organizations including NCA began strategizing about how to end child abuse fatalities. We passed a bill that established a congressional commission, which issued a report in 2016. Now we're looking at the successes and challenges of that work. What's changed, or not, in five years? What about state reforms? Join us with Amy Harfeld from the National Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths and reporters Lia Russell and Caitlin Andrews.

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Are we solving the wrong problem in child welfare?  When you think of federal child welfare policy, maybe you expect a discussion of foster care and other post-abuse interventions. If so, this conversation with Jerry Milner, former head of the Children’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is going to blow your mind. Because after more than 40 years in child welfare, Milner's leadership of the Children’s Bureau turned a very, very different direction. He explored questions like: What would happen if we turned over our investment and focused on primary prevention instead? And a...

Years ago, few Americans—even in the field of child abuse—knew or understood child sex trafficking. The media portrayed it as a problem “over there” someplace, far from our shores. Now we know that child sex trafficking is both a global problem and a local one, one that affects children and youth who come across our borders, and youth in schools right down the street. 

What makes children vulnerable to trafficking, and those who cross our borders especially vulnerable to it? How do we identify those at risk? How do we address the trauma and pain victims o...

If you’ve worked any time at all, then you’ve worked in some place that was unhealthy. Maybe it was full of gossip and backstabbing. Or perhaps there was one disgruntled employee who just made the whole place miserable. Or perhaps you or one of your colleagues was bullied. Toxic workplaces take an emotional toll. They’re exhausting. Draining. Demoralizing.

What can we do as leaders to create a healthy workplace culture right from the very start? How do we turn around one that’s developed some sort of trouble spot? And how do we contribute to a hea...

When the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study came out and proved the link between traumas such as child abuse and long-term negative health and mental health impacts, why did the public latch onto some results but not others? Why are people less convinced about the physical health impacts of ACEs than others? What role does political leaning play? And are we messaging some things that are harmful or counter-productive? We talk to Jonathan Purtle from Drexel University about how to make sure the general public understands and wants to make the kinds of system changes necessary to improve kids’ li...

Jenna Quinn was one of the first survivors to translate their experience of abuse into child abuse prevention public policy. Jenna was abused by a close friend of the family, someone known through the Christian school she attended. Her mom was a teacher, and her family very supportive, and yet Jenna, like so many others, became vulnerable to ongoing abuse because she didn’t know who, or how, to tell. And her school, like so many other schools, provided no abuse prevention education to kids or to school personnel. The 2009 Jenna’s Law changed that in Texas and became a mo...

When we think about Alaska, we think of Denali, pictures we’ve seen, movies we’ve watched, the wonderful wildlife, and people still living on the cusp of the frontier. But what films don’t always show, and what books don’t always cover, is the incredible challenges of this environment: the high rates of trauma, the high rates of addiction, the high rates of suicide, and the high rates of child abuse. How do you help families identify the root causes of trauma and truly heal?  We talk to Patrick Anderson, CEO of RurAL CAP, about the nexus of a brut...

Sometimes we forget that the medical response to child abuse as a discipline developed over our lifetime, and what was nascent 30 years ago is now a board specialty, like cardiology or oncology. For all the gains we’ve made in research and practice, though, there are still tremendous challenges in ensuring that all children who’ve been abused have access to medical care. Things like: Why is there such a scarcity of child abuse pediatricians? What can we do to increase the number of physicians willing to care for abused children as a part of their practice? And how can...

On today’s episode, “Engaging the Hope Within Us,” our guests are award-winning classical pianists and siblings Gregory and Deondra Brown of The 5 Browns. When we think of classical music, we often think only of the beauty of it, not also of the pain and vulnerability that it can express and evoke. The 5 Browns shook perceptions of the classical music world when they revealed that all three sisters had been sexually abused as children and sought justice in their case. This brave act shattered stereotypes and elevated the issue of child sexual abuse in an audience where it had previo...