>>JENNIFER WAUGH: THE PANDEMIC HAS CREATED A DOMINO EFFECT OF PROBLEMS HERE IN
OUR COMMUNITY PEOPLE HAVE LOST
THEIR JOBS MAKING IT HARD TO
PAY THEIR BILLS WHICH THEN
CREATES MORE STRESS AT HOME.
THAT HAS LED TO AN INCREASE IN
THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE
BEEN ABUSED IN OUR AREA.
THE STAFF AT THE PEDIATRIC
TRAUMA CENTER WILSON CHILDREN’S
HOSPITAL HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN CHILD ABUSE CASES,
144 CHILDREN ADMITTED LAST YEAR
COMPARED TO 118 THE
YEAR BEFORE DOCTOR JENNIFER
ANDREWS IS A MEMBER OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA’S CHILD
PROTECTION TEAM, WHICH
INVESTIGATES CHILD ABUSE IN OUR
AREA AND JOINS US LIVE VIA
ZOOM, GOOD MORNING, THANKS FOR
BEING WITH US.
>> GOOD MORNING, THANKS FOR
HAVING ME. SO IS THERE A
CERTAIN AGE THAT YOU SEE MOST
OFTEN OF CHILDREN WHO ARE
ABUSED.
>> SO IN
OUR CLINIC WE TYPICALLY SEE
KIDS THAT ARE YOUNGER SO KIDS
NOT HAVE TO BUY. THERE’S THAT’S
JUST BECAUSE
THEY ARE WE CONSIDER MORE
MOBILE PHONE OR A BULL OR
HIGHER IS WHAT MAKES THEM MORE
VULNERABLE ARE HIGHER RISK.
AND SO SOME OF THE ACTORS
WOULD BE CHILDREN ARE NONVERBAL
BE SO CAN’T DISCLOSE ABUSE OR
NEGLECT THAT HAPPENING TO THEM
AS WELL AS CHILDREN WE JUST
PART OF THIS IS GOING TO
COMMUNITY SO GET YOUR GARDEN
SCHOOL YET.
>> WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN DAY
CARE SO THAT ABUSE IS NOT
SPOTTED BY SOMEONE MAY BE
OUTSIDE OF THE HOME.
>>LAUREN VERNO: ARE THERE ANY
PARTICULAR TRIGGERS THAT
PARENTS OR CAREGIVERS CAN BE
AWARE OF.
>> SO WE OFTEN DON’T KNOW
WHAT CAUSES ABUSE BUT TRIGGERS
THAT WE DO THINK ABOUT OR
ANYTHING THAT INCREASES
FINANCIAL STRAIN. WE SAW IT
WITH HURRICANES.
ANYTHING THAT INCREASES STRESS
IN THE FAMILY EVEN SOMETHING
SIMPLE LIKE POTTY TRAINING CAN
BE ASSURED
THAT THIS.
>>LAUREN VERNO: SO WHAT IS IS
TO BE SEEM SOPHOMORE IT BUT
WHAT IS CONSIDERED ABUSE
BECAUSE YOU KNOW PEOPLE HAVE
VARYING, YOU KNOW OPINIONS
ABOUT SPANKING SPANKING IS
LEGAL NOT ILLEGAL. BUT CAN
ACROSS THE LINE.
>> IT CERTAINLY SAID THIS IS
DEFINED AS THE NEED
WILLFUL ACT DURING DAD OR
FAILURE TO ACT ON THE PART OF
THE CAREGIVERS. THAT CAUSES
MORE WINTER AND COME TO A CHILD
AND SECOND HE WILL BE
CLASSICALLY BIG OF
PHYSICAL HARM. BUT ALSO
PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIER AND SO
WHETHER OR
NOT SPANKING RISES TO THE LEVEL
TO BE SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE
OF USE. THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF
PEDIATRICS RECOMMENDS AGAINST
SPANKING OR ANY OTHER FORM OF
PHYSICAL DISAGREE.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: WOULD YOU
EXPLAIN THE WARNING SIGNS FOR
THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN THE
COMMUNITY AND MAY SEE SOMETHING
BUT NOT BE SURE IF THAT’S ME
IS ABUSE.
>> SAYS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
WE POSSIBLY THINK OF OUR
CHILDREN WERE OBVIOUSLY
UNDERWEIGHT MILLION CAN’T.
KIDS THAT YOU KNOW WELL THAT
HAVE
A SUDDEN BEHAVIORAL AND THEN
PHYSICAL INJURIES SO
BRUISES ON CHILDREN ARE
INDEPENDENTLY MOBILE YET.
BREEZES THAT AREN’T IN TYPICAL
ACCIDENTAL PLACES LIKE
UPPER DIES THE CHEEKS, THE
BUCS, THE BELLY. PRISON BOTH
SIDES OF THE BODY THAT
ARE SYMMETRICAL WE DID WHAT WE
CALL PATTERN INJURIES TO THINGS
THAT LOOK LIKE OBJECT THE
CORRIDOR HE PRINT.
>> AND SO AT.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO ANYONE
WHO SEES ABUSE BUT IS HESITANT
TO REPORTED OUT OF CONCERN ONE OF JUST INTERFERING BE ACCUSED OF BEING A NOSY NEIGHBOR IS
AN EXAMPLE OR OR SOMEHOW THE
PERSON THAT THEY’RE REPORTING
FINDS OUT THAT IT’S THEM AND
THEY’RE CONCERNED ABOUT SOME
KIND OF RETRIBUTION.
>> SO FOR PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY OF THIS REPORT
ACTUALLY ANONYMOUS SO IF YOU
CALL THE
DCF HOTLINE. YOU DON’T NEED TO
GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOU CAN
REMAIN ANONYMOUS WHAT YOU
REPORT, STAYS CONFIDENTIAL.
AND I WAS LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE
THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO DCF
DOESN’T HAVE TO BE
PUNITIVE. IT CAN ACTUALLY BE
THE GATEWAY TO RESOURCES THAT
CAN HELP A FAMILY STAY
TOGETHER SAFELY.
>>LAUREN VERNO: AND FOR THE
BENEFIT OF OUR VIEWERS YOU HAVE
THAT THE DCF HOTLINE.
>> AND HERE IT IS REALLY SIMPLE
IT’S 1, 8, 109 6 ABUSE OR YOU
CAN MAKE OR
IMPORT ON.
>>LAUREN VERNO: AND IT’S MY
WHOLE FAMILY’S DOT COM AND
FINALLY HAVING THEN THE POLICE
REPORTER FOR MANY YEARS IN AND
CALLED OUT TO THE SCENES IN
WHICH A CHILD HAS BEEN SEVERELY
INJURED OR EVEN DIED AS A
RESULT OF ABUSE IT IS
HEARTBREAKING. THE THINGS THAT
PEOPLE DO TO CHILDREN AND THEY
DON’T REALIZE
THEIR STRENGTHS. SO FOR THOSE
WHO ARE NEW PARENTS AND THEY
HAVE A COLLEGE KEY BABY.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM
ABOUT TAKING A DEEP BREATH AND
AND NOT DOING SOMETHING THAT
THEY REGRET FOR THE REST OF
THEIR LIVES.
>> YEAH I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE
THEM. IT IS ALWAYS OK TO TAKE A
BRIDGE TOO. BUT YOU’RE TRYING TO BE SOMEWHERE SAFE IN THEIR CRIBS AND YOU CAN WALK AWAY
CRYING ISN’T GOING TO
HURT THEM. BUT PHYSICALLY
SHAKING AND HITTING THEM IS
GOING TO HIT THEM AND