New Mexico Children's Alliance

New Mexico’s Children’s Advocacy Centers:

Improving New Mexico’s community response to child abuse.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

and

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Be sure to follow us on social media and browse our site for more information!

Also check out the website for our umbrella organization, New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (NMCSAP), here.

About NMCA

The NM Children’s Alliance is an accredited chapter of the NCA made up of children’s advocacy centers (CACs) in NM. A program of the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (NMCSAP) as of 2019.

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Local CACs

Find a children’s advocacy center in your area.

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Member Resources

View the member resources.

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Child Abuse

Learn about child abuse and how you can help

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From our Instagram Feed

nmcacs

#repost Thank you to NCA for highlighting the impo

#repost Thanks for sharing these important tips! 💙 #nmcacs• @kidsinccac Repost from @shalonnienow Let's talk about asking children questions about possible abuse/neglect.

My only advise is DON'T!! If you have not been trained on how to ask children questions in an appropriate way, the best course of action is not to do it. There are a couple of reasons for this.

First, most people ask questions in inappropriate ways eliciting statements that cannot be adequately interpreted. The biggest issue that I see happening is the use of loaded questions. Moms and Grandmas are notorious for this one. Loaded questions contain unjustified assumptions. The most common one that I hear is "who touched you?" This question assumes that the child has been touched, and forces the child into providing a name for the "toucher". Any answer provided by a child in response to this form of questioning cannot be evaluated. Adults will presume that this is a disclosure of sexual abuse, which it is not, and inevitably this results in an ED or clinic visit for concerns of such. Let me reiterate THIS IS NOT A DISCLOSURE. In fact, if a child IS being sexually abused this form of questioning can inhibit or destroy an investigation.

Second, when people have concerns for abuse and do not elicit a response from the child that confirms this, they will continue to ask questions until they receive an answer that they want. This is an interrogation and also not appropriate. Statements made by children in this context also cannot be adequately interpreted.

If you are a parent, caregiver, grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc. do not question children about abuse. Instead empower children that if they do not feel safe, or if anyone ever does anything to their body that makes them feel uncomfortable they should tell a grown up. Empower them that this adult does not need to be you. As previously discussed children almost never tell parents/family members about abuse because they are smart, and they know that it will be hurtful. So, you need to get over that, and provide them with the tools to maintain their safety. I use the rule of 5s. Children need to identify 5 grown-ups

#repost Every child deserves a safe childhood, thi

#repost #DidYouKnow 💙#nmcacs• @silver_regiona

#repost 💙#nmcacs #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth • @mbfchildsafety Studies show the effects of childhood victimization leave youth vulnerable to a lifetime of physical, mental, and social problems. Help promote mental health awareness by getting involved and educated. Whether you have a child or teen or work with them, help them learn and understand the importance of mental health and taking care of oneself. 💚 #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth

#repost 🥳💙 So many positive developments hap

#repost 🥳 We are so excited to work with Meliss

#repost• @childrenssafeharbor Most cases of chil

#repost It was great to see first time mom and fea

#repost Don’t miss this upcoming training opport

#repost Wonderful news!!! Congratulations to the C

#repost 🥳 Our CACs are so excited to work with

Many kids who have been abused don’t tell anyone

#repost 💙• @aapiwomenlead We are sharing this

#repost 🥳💙• @nmcsap Could our Executive Di

#repost 🌱 We’re growing! Apply by this Friday

#repost ❤️ Awareness is one step. Meaningful a

Thank you to the forensic interviewers who dedicat

#repost 🥳 Congratulations to both Malinda and J

#repost Our CACs have been so creative in their ef

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