Child Abuse: An Inconvenient Truth
By Theron Willis
HOMETOWN NEWS
Forensic interviewer Lynn McMillan (left) and executive director Bill Herrick at a meeting at the Children’s Advocacy Center.
(Editor’s Note: This is the second in a two-part series in which Hometown News focused on child abuse in the Upstate.)
Before there were children’s advocacy centers, an investigation of a child abuse case was a draconian venture, often subjecting the child to a redundant and cold interviewing process, according to Bill Herrick, who is the executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Spartanburg,
“A child would be taken to the police department where they would interview the child in a sterile room like he or she was an adult,” Herrick said. “Then they would be taken to the doctor for a medical exam and be asked many of the same questions, then the solicitor’s office and asked the same questions there.”
This obviously put undue stress and strain on a child who had just been through probably the most traumatic experience in their entire life.
“After a while they would just clam up and not say anything,” Herrick said.
The CAC of Spartanburg opened its doors in 1996 and handles child abuse cases from Spartanburg, Cherokee, and Union Counties. It is multifaceted in its approach, providing therapy, age-appropriate forensic interviews, medical exams, and case consultation. Their focus is on being a child - friendly environment to lessen the trauma of investigation and to provide therapy and healing so a young victim can hopefully move on from their hellish experiences.
They receive case referrals from Department of Social Services (DSS), law enforcement, schools, and doctors. The CAC’s personnel are specially trained to deal with abused children with sensitivity and professionalism.
For the rest of the story, see this weeks local Hometown New Paper.
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