Parents and Caregivers:

Under Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL), the term “child abuse” is defined as:

• Any recent act or failure to act by a perpetrator which causes nonaccidental serious physical injury to a child.
• An act or failure to act by a perpetrator which causes nonaccidental serious mental injury to or sexual abuse or exploitation of a child.
• A recent act, failure to act or series of the acts or failures to act by a perpetrator which creates an imminent risk of serious physical injury to or sexual abuse or exploitation of a child.
• Serious physical neglect by a perpetrator constituting prolonged or repeated lack of supervision or the failure to provide the essentials of life, including adequate medical care, which endangers a child’s life or development or impairs the child’s functioning.

The majority of cases referred to Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC)s are for child sexual abuse allegations. However, CACs also respond to cases of child physical abuse, as well as extreme neglect and trafficking (Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, CSEC). Additionally, CACs also serve children who have suffered emotional trauma as witnesses to violence.

Sexual abuse occurs when an adult or another child asks or pressures a child for sexual contact. The abuser may use physical abuse, bribery, threats, tricks, or take advantage of the child’s limited knowledge of sexual matters. Sexual abuse can also include taking photos of the child, or showing them pornography through pictures, magazines, movies, online, etc.

Parents often warn children against “stranger danger” but in most cases of child sexual abuse, the perpetrator is not a stranger but a relative or close friend of the family.