How to Report Sexual Abuse

If you have reason to believe or suspect that a child – or vulnerable adult – is being sexually abused, it can weigh heavily on you, but you may not know what to do to help. There are specific steps anyone in your position can take, and it’s the right thing to do. If your child or someone you care about is the victim of sexual abuse, don’t wait to reach out for the compassionate legal guidance of a California sexual abuse victim attorney.

Take Action

If you witness a child being sexually abused or suspect that a child you know or come in contact with is being sexually abused, taking action is critical. In this case, taking action means calling the child abuse reporting number for your California county in question or contacting your local police or sheriff’s department directly to report your concerns.

Unless you are an official mandated reporter, you can make your call anonymously – and can rest assured that the information you share will be kept confidential. 

It’s important to keep in mind that you don’t need solid proof of sexual abuse to make the report. Your concerns about the child in question didn’t spring from nothing, and erring on the side of caution is in their best interest. Too many people take a wait-and-see approach that leaves defenseless children at risk. 

Following Up

At this point, the county child welfare agency is required to conduct a risk assessment to determine whether the child in question needs protection, but they will not share any information about their investigation with you.

If – after making your initial call – you continue to have grave concerns about the child, there are further steps you can take, and a dedicated sexual abuse victim attorney can help.

Next Steps

From here, you can directly request that the county child welfare agency commence an immediate court proceeding to take the child under the juvenile court’s protection. This involves filing a juvenile court form that your attorney will ensure is accurate, filed correctly, and timely.

This filing puts the county child welfare agency on notice that an immediate investigation into the child’s well-being must be conducted. Within three weeks of filing, the agency is required to notify you of their decision regarding the child, and if this doesn’t include bringing the child under the court’s protection, they’re required to state their reasons in writing.

In Ventura and Santa Barbara

If you’re worried about a child in Ventura or Santa Barbara, you can express your concern to the proper authorities as follows:

• In Ventura, you should call the County of Ventura Human Services Agency at 805-654-3200.
• In Santa Barbara, you should call the County of Santa Barbara Child Welfare Services at 800-367-0166.

In an emergency situation, call 911.

Seek the Help You Need from an Experienced California Sexual Abuse Victim Attorney

If you have suspicions that a child or vulnerable adult is being sexually abused, the trusted sexual abuse victim attorneys at Bamieh & De Smeth – proudly serving both Ventura and Santa Barbara – appreciate the gravity of the situation and are standing by to take the immediate action necessary to help. Learn more by contacting us online or calling 805-643-5555 today.