Courage is a word we typically associate with soldiers, firefighters, policemen and women, and others fighting on the frontlines to keep all of us safe from harm. But courage can also be ascribed to those who push fear, stigma and discomfort aside to talk about that which society keeps in...

On December 13, I had the honor of participating in an important moment for the child advocacy field. As one of six panelists to testify in front of the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), Subcommittee on Children and Families, I joined my fellow...

As the Director of National Children's Alliance, the national association and accrediting body for 739 Children's Advocacy Centers across the country, I hear accounts of 260,000 victims of child sexual abuse each year. Each one is a personal tragedy for the victim, but mostly a private grief for...

In response to the recently aired investigative news report on child abuse fatalities in the United States by the BBC, I want to call attention to the importance of child advocacy in the U.S. This issue deserves our attention now more than ever before.

This...

There are systems in place around the world designed to protect abused and neglected children. Unfortunately, these systems often take a segmented approach, creating a further traumatizing experience for children and families who report abuse.

Prior to 1985, the social services and criminal justice systems in the United States...

Every day in America, there are an estimated seven children who die from abuse or neglect -- some 2,500 per year (expert estimate of actual deaths). In 2010, the number of reported child maltreatment deaths (1,740) was far higher than the number of reported child deaths...

Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a study on the lack of criminal history checks conducted on teachers and corresponding rates of sexual misconduct by school staff. As the Executive Director of National Children's Alliance, the accrediting body for children's advocacy centers around the country and internationally, I am...

For many children, August is the last hurrah of summer - the last moment to enjoy long, lazy days before school sets back in. But for many other children, summer is no different from the rest of the year. School may be out, but child abuse is not. A new...

All too often, when we think of fundraising, we focus on efforts and resources that are really only applicable to metropolitan settings. Foundations are more likely to be located in cities, and traditional fundraisers, such as galas and auctions, cater to an urban crowd. It is important to recognize that...