Issue Spotlight: Child Abuse
Child abuse, and sexual abuse in particular, are in the forefront of the news media and in our national dialogue. A quarter of adult women and 10 percent of adult men say they can remember being sexually abused as children or adolescents, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. (For information on recognizing signs of child abuse, prevention or coping, visit the NIH website.)
POPVOX is spotlighting bills related to child abuse, minor sex trafficking and sexual abuse. We hope you weigh in on these bills, and share this list with your friends and networks.
Issue Spotlight: Child Abuse
- S 3173 The Helping Schools Protect Our Children Act allow funds under title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to be used to provide training to school personnel regarding how to recognize child sexual abuse.
- S 671 The Finding Fugitive Sex Offenders Act authorizes the US Marshals Service to issue administrative subpoenas in investigations relating to unregistered sex offenders.
- S 596 The Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act establishes a grant program to benefit victims of sex trafficking.
- S 1984 The Protect our Kids Act establishes a commission to develop a national strategy and recommendations for reducing fatalities resulting from child abuse and neglect. (Also HR 3653.)
- S 1667 The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act requires certain standards and enforcement provisions to prevent child abuse and neglect in residential programs. (Also HR 3126.)
- S 1889 The Federal Children's Protection Act protects children from neglect and abuse on Federal property.
- S 1887 The State Children's Protection Act protects children from abuse and neglect.
- S 1877 The Speak Up to Protect Every Abused Kid Act requires mandatory reporting of incidents of child abuse or neglect.
- HR 3650 The Federal Zero Tolerance of Child Sexual Abuse Act prohibits institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations that fail to report incidents of sexual abuse of a minor from receiving Federal funds.
- HR 3486 The SOS Child Abuse Act amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to require States receiving funds under section 106 of such Act to have in effect a State law providing for a criminal penalty on an individual who fails to report witnessing another individual engaging in sexual abuse of a child.
- S 1879 Ensures that States have enacted criminal statutes that require individuals to report child abuse to law enforcement or child protective agencies.
See previous Issue Spotlights.
Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill doesn't imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we're simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of an overwhelmingly complex legislative system.
