Supporting Child Victims

child witness
We help justice systems support children who have experienced violence and victimization.

A child who is a victim or witness of violence often confronts a system ill-equipped to meet their needs and to treat their symptoms of trauma. Our Bronx Child Trauma Support program works with children ages 3 to 15, most of whom are witnesses in criminal and/or family court cases. The program provides trauma-focused, evidence-based therapy, crisis intervention, and intensive court support services. At the national level, with funding from the federal Office for Victims of Crime, we’ve developed a package of court support materials for child victims and witnesses, their caregivers, and justice system personnel. We also provide training and technical assistance to practitioners on effective responses to child abuse and children’s exposure to violence.

Initiatives

  • Child Witness Materials Project

    To support child victims, we've developed a first-of-its-kind collection of interactive and educational materials to guide children through how the justice system works and how to

Publications & Digital Media

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News

  • Unseen: The Boy Victims Of The Sex Trade, Part I

    April 5, 2021
    WGBH.org

    Citing our 2016 national study finding that more than a third of young people involved in the U.S. sex trade were boys and young men, this article details the challenges presented with supporting those victimized in ways the public often assumes applies mostly to women and girls. For many men and boys, incidents are not reported, their stories stifled by stigma and shame, keeping these victims unseen and without access to help they need.

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