Keeping Abused Kids Safe By Gordon J. Campbell, Chief Executive Officer Safe Horizon 2 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10007 www.safehorizon.org NY POST - Section: OP-ED New York, January 18, 2003 GIVEN all the well-deserved attention to the tragic story about the House of Horrors in Newark recently, it's hard not to think about child abuse. But now that the surviving kids have been rescued, what next? Clearly, they face nearly insurmountable obstacles as they try to piece together their lives. These children suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of the very people who were supposed to care for them, and their healing process will be an uphill journey. No single child-welfare agency, police department or district attorney's office can completely stamp out child abuse. But we can makes strides toward ensuring that the abused children are provided with the best possible care. The good news is that we know what can be done to help these children and their families overcome the trauma and move forward with their lives - because we've done it already. Safe Horizon, the nation's largest victim assistance and advocacy agency, has pioneered the development of the urban model for a child-friendly investigation and counseling process in the aftermath of child abuse. The key is not just compassion, but coordination. At Safe Horizon's Brooklyn Child Advocacy Center (BCAC), which opened officially Thursday, all the pivotal players come together under one roof: the Administration for Children's Services, the NYPD, the DA's office, Family Court and medical professionals from Brooklyn Hospital Center and SUNY/Downstate Medical Center. Thus, the number of times the abused child has to tell his or her story is minimized, reducing the fear and trauma involved in what is often a frightening process for a child. Such coordination is essential. Moreover, the facility is extremely child-friendly: Playful murals adorn the walls, there is a playroom full of toys and books, even the interview rooms are geared toward the child. And BCAC staff remain available to help the child and his or her family for the long haul. Our goals need to be protecting the child from retraumatization, helping the family heal and ensuring that the perpetrator is taken off the streets. Again, while nothing can be done to reverse the abuse that has occurred, we can make the investigation and recovery process as child-friendly as possible. That's the goal that should be strived for not only in Newark, but everywhere kids are abused - and rescued. Gordon J. Campbell is CEO of Safe Horizon, a nonprofit victim assistance, advocacy and violence-prevention organization with child advocacy centers in Brooklyn and Staten Island; a Queens center opens later this year. © NY POST Back to In the News List