FACTSHEET:
Special Provisions for Children in the Criminal Justice System
As awareness of the prevalence of crimes against children increases, and legislators become educated as to the needs of child victims in the judicial system, a wide range of special provisions has been adopted to make the child's participation in the system less traumatic. All states and the District of Columbia have adopted one or more of the child victim and witness provisions discussed here.
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Newsletter: Spring 2009: Sexual Violence is a Public Health IssueThe World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) define sexual violence as "a public health problem." But it is more than a public health problem - it's a public health crisis. Victims of sexual violence suffer debilitating immediate and long-term physical, psychological and social effects, and when they are left untreated, or are poorly treated, victims face the risk of disease, disability and even death. Sexual violence is also a silent epidemic: Approximately 84% of rapes are not reported. The majority of victims do not talk about what happened to them because they are overwhelmed by feelings of fear, self-blame and social disgrace, and therefore do not seek the help necessary to heal.There are a number of factors that contribute to defining sexual violence as a public health issue, and some members of society possess an increased vulnerability due to social status. Certain people have an increased risk for becoming victims of sexual violence - through no fault of their own. These people are women, children, adolescents, the disabled, homeless and the impoverished. Solving the problem places a burden on society and preventative measures which could alleviate the problem are not being implemented. The impact of sexual violence also goes beyond the affected individual - there are costs to the victim's family, community and society at large. Victims face both immediate and long-term physical and psychological consequences, including disability that prevents work and/or education, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and attempted or completed suicide. Rooted in inequality, poverty and race, sexual violence is associated with other social and health problems such as prostitution, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, substance abuse and other forms of violence. Additional social consequences include strained relationships with family, friends and intimate partners and lower likelihood of marriage as well as an increased risk for re-victimization. PreventionAccording to public health experts, "Prevention is a systematic process that promotes safe, healthy environments and behaviors - reducing the likelihood or frequency of an incident or injury occurring." Prevention is often grouped into three categories based on when the intervention takes place:1 Primary (intervening before the violence occurs by removing the cause or preventing the development of risk factors); 2 Secondary (immediate responses after sexual violence happens to deal with the short-term consequences of violence; and 3 Tertiary (long term responses after sexual violence has occurred to deal with the lasting consequences of violence). The Alliance and NYS Rape Crisis Programs are working to implement interventions across all three levels of prevention. Implementing SolutionsGood public health practice is based on evidence and demonstrates a community benefit. Solid strategies based on prevention cannot be put into place until strategies are developed, implemented and evaluated - and proven to be effective. The Alliance is committed to this process in order to successfully implement prevention-based solutions in New York City.← previous article | next article → |
Executive Director Harriet Lessel Speaks at the Photovoice Exhibit
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