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Child exploitation

Criminal Court Resources

Criminal Court Resources

Use these materials with children and youth who may have involvement with the justice system as the victim of or witness to a crime. The materials teach children about how the justice system works, what their rights are, and how they can cope with the difficult feelings they might have during the process.

Character booklets about criminal court roles and tips for coping are available...

Maya's Homes

Summary

Maya’s Homes—a companion piece to Brave Maya—tells the story of what happens to Maya after she is removed from her home and placed with another caregiver, her auntie.

To illustrate common occurrences in cases of child removal, the story follows Maya as she has questions about and adjusts to life in her new home; regularly...

Who Is Everybody? In Criminal Court

Summary

Who Is Everybody? In Criminal Court is a brief guide in the I Am Malik series that explains the different roles of people that a child may interact with or hear about throughout their criminal case and in criminal court. It includes practical tips for preparing for court and information on some rights to which children are entitled.

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About

About

Children are some of the most vulnerable members of our society and are widely held as needing greater care and protection. However, despite this, children are frequently victims of or witnesses to violence, abuse, and other crimes, including domestic violence, community violence, physical assault, sexual assault, commercial sexual exploitation, and child maltreatment.

Resulting from these high rates of exposure to violence, crime, and abuse...

A Guide for Practitioners

A Guide for Practitioners

Child Victims and Witnesses Support Materials includes materials for young children ages 2 to 6 years old, school-age children ages 7 to 12 years old, and youth ages 13 to 18 years old. However, you can use whichever set of materials seems most appropriate for each child, given their stage of development.

For each age group, there are materials about the...

What Is Your Job? In Family or Dependency Court

Summary

What Is Your Job? In Family or Dependency Court is a picture book in the Brave Maya series that explains the different roles of people that a child may interact with or hear about throughout their child welfare cases and in family or dependency court. It includes information on the role of the child in court and...

Child and Youth Victimization

young child being comforted by three adults

Childhood exposure to violence, crime, and abuse can lead to serious consequences for the health and well-being of children that can last long into adulthood.

Understanding the nature and extent of a child’s exposure to violence is essential in combating its effects. Research shows that early identification, intervention, and continued follow up are valuable strategies for preventing and decreasing the potential negative effects of...

Register for National Listening Sessions on Child Exploitation During COVID-19

Every April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. During this month, communities are encouraged to raise awareness and promote strategies that address the risk factors surrounding child abuse.

As part of our commemoration of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, OVC and the Office on Trafficking in Persons at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are hosting four virtual listening sessions about child trafficking...

The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit

The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit (VTT) was developed on the premise that exposure to the traumatic experiences of other people—known as vicarious trauma—is an inevitable occupational challenge for the fields of victim services, emergency medical services, fire services, law enforcement, and other allied professionals; however, organizations can mitigate the potentially negative effects of trauma exposure by becoming vicarious trauma-informed.