On the legislative front, I have worked in Congress to combat child abuse. I was proud to author the Child Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Act, which was enacted last year. This law uses common-sense enforcement reforms to protect children from abuse and neglect. And just this year we enacted the Strengthening Abuse and Neglect Courts Act to provide courts the necessary resources to reduce case backlogs and to ensure that children grow up in permanent, safe and loving homes. Without adults who are aware, some children may never receive help.
Many people are afraid to report child abuse for a multitude of reasons.
However, the fear of being mistaken far outweighs the horror of a child suffering. Some of the signs noticed by teachers, friends and neighbors include unexplained bruises or burns or extreme behaviors such as fear of specific adults or antisocial tendencies. It is better to report suspicion of child abuse to a professional who is trained to make an evaluation than to just hope that the symptoms of child abuse just go away on their own. There is not a single solution to addressing child abuse. Therefore, we must all do our part.