Better Advocacy for Kids on Tap in New Agreement

Tag: usa

By Carlet Cleare

ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - A child abuse intervention center has announced its official agreement with nine Greater Rochester law enforcement agencies.

Bivona Child Advocacy Center's Executive Director Mary Whittier says the partnership ensures that abused children will get the services and care they need to recover, during child abuse investigations.

Story Continues below



"Today what we are celebrating is a formalized relationship with all of our law enforcement agencies across the community in Monroe County. And what that means is there will be a signing today of a memorandum of understanding whereby every child that is victimized by sexual abuse, they will get their services here at the Bivona Child Advocacy Center."

Whittier says the agency is formally linked with the New York State police, Monroe County Sheriff's Office, District Attorney's Office and the Rochester Police Department.

Whittier says the agency helps more than a thousand children a year, but unfortunately, she says most sexual cases still go unreported.

Bivona is an alliance of social and legal agencies that protect, treat and counsel child victims and their families, and also prosecutes and investigate abusers. It is the only agency in the Great Rochester area to offer those services.

Bivona has partnerships with Child Protective Service, Rape Crisis, Linden Oaks Sexual Abuse Treatment Services, the Catholic Family Center and Victim Advocacy.

Over 40 percent of children that the agency sees are under seven years old. The agency reports that every six minutes a child is sexually abused in the nation, which is by someone they know, love or trust. © Copyright 2010, WXXI

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxx....Agreement