From Crisis to Coordination:

An Integrated Community Response to a Multi-Victim Child Sexual Abuse Crisis



Opening Message

Out of a Crisis of child sexual abuse, our community has created hope.  Out of our story we have created this document.  We hope it will help professionals and community leaders be better prepared to cope with a multi-victim, multi-offender crisis, should it ever occur.  But more importantly, we hope readers will be inspired to work together in agencies and communities across the country to meet the needs of all sexually abused children.  We encourage each and every one of you to do your part to prevent this type of crisis from ever happening in your community. Together let's bring the tragedy of child sexual abuse to an end in Canada.

• What is this document all about?
• What are the aims of this document?
• What is a multi-victim, multi-offender child sexual abuse case?
• Why Prescott?
• The challenges and the MVMO cases
• Who should read this document?
• What's in this document?

• A major social problem
• Who are the victims?
• What forms does the abuse take?
• Who is responsible for child sexual abuse?
• How is child sexual abuse dealt with by the authorities?
• How do children cope with abuse?
• What harm does it cause?
• Who are the perpetrators?
• Why don't the children tell?
• What about false allegations?
• Potential signs of child sexual abuse

• The Prescott case: Key dates and events
• Tipping the first domino: The investigation begins
• The scope and nature of the abuse: Facts and figures
• Statistical profile of the case
• Who's who: The major players

• Pulling community services together
• Assessing needs and seeking help
• The urgent need for children's treatment
• Seeking a lasting impact
• Ontario Government funds Special Project
• The Advisory Committee: Structure and Accountability

The Media Frenzy

• The impact of the media on the community
• Attempting to broaden the Media's understanding
• How the media helped
• The Media's impact on Victims and Survivors
• Working with the Media
• The impact of the Media on the Investigation and Prosecution

Team work on the front lines of an MVMO case

• The investigation and Legal Process
• Parallel proceedings in Family and Criminal court
• Putting children on the stand
• Victim/Witness preparation
• Helping the children heal: The Task of the Treatment Team.
• Strengthening the Foster Care system
• Managing a Multi-victim, Multi-offender Child Welfare Investigation

To Provide Treatment and Support

Part 4 - Section 2 - Lessons From Prescott:

The Prevention Initiative: Helping the Community to Heal and Prevent Future Abuse

Section II - Meeting Community Needs

• Community Healing
• Care for Kids: Educating Children and Parents About Healthy Sexuality
• Working it out Together: Deciding What to do and How to do it
• A Partnership with the Community
• Training for professionals
• Strengthening Families and Transforming Social Values

CASSA: Helping Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

What to Do: To provide Treatment and Support to Adult Sexual Abuse Survivors

The Treatment of Perpetrators: A Key aspect of Prevention

• Obtaining Treatment for Offenders
• Consultation and collaboration

Evaluation Research: Assesing the Project's Impact

• The Evaluation Plan
• The Challenges of Clinical Evaluation
• Assessing Attitudinal Change

What to Do: To Evaluate Your Efforts

Part 4 - Section 3 - Lessons From Prescott: Key Lessons

Section III - Key Lessons

• Turn a Crisis into an opportunity
• Develop Community-wide Partnerships
• Adopt a Multifaceted approach
• Make sure those Affected by the Crisis are Involved in  the Response
• Promote Collaboration between Services
• Avoid Quick Fixes:  Situate your Crisis Response Within a Longer-term Vision
• Build on Strengths while recognizing Limitations
• Define a Shared Vision
• Clarify Roles and Accountability
• Coordinate your Actions
• Pay attention to your Process
• Be Prepared to Cope with the Media
• Build in Strategies to Help the Community Heal
• Incorporate ways to Learn from your experience

Beyond Denial

Preparing for a Multi-Victim Crisis

• Components of an advance crisis plan

• A Comprehensive Coordinated Community Response
• Collaboration and Coordination:  Benefits and Barriers
• How do you know when you need to improve Collaboration?
• Tips for successful Interagency Partnerships
• The Advantages of Team work
• General Strategies for Preventing Child Sexual Abuse

The Big Picture:  Priority Areas for Change

Part 6 - Readings and Resources on Child Sexual Abuse

• Part 1 - Introduction
  
• Part 2 - Basic Facts
  
• Part 3 - The Prescott Story
  
• Part 4 - Lessons From Prescott
  
• Part 5 - What We Learned
  
• Glossary of Terms
  
• Poem - The Pain of Abuse - 16 year old survivor