One in seven children will be a victim of child abuse and neglect, which has a lasting impact on childhood growth and development.
Only 7% of perpetrators are complete strangers to the children and/or family; 93% of child abuse and neglect perpetrators are known to the victim. Children are 40 times more likely to experience physical and sexual abuse if their parents are with a new romantic partner.
Parents, guardians and caregivers want to ensure their children are left with someone safe. Yet, in 2018, the state of Michigan had 100,123 investigations for child abuse and neglect. Providing a resource to the community to ensure children are left with a safe and trusted adult is a vital tool in prevention of child abuse and neglect. This issue is something I have seen the impact of firsthand. I worked as a sexual assault response specialist for three years, until I transitioned to foster care casework. Most of the cases I am exposed to have been the result of a parent or caregiver leaving their child with someone who they thought would be safe.
Families and communities have the right to protect our most vulnerable population from having to share a space with a perpetrator. SB 0371 is referred to as “Wyatt’s Law” and was developed following a tragic injury to a one-year-old boy who was left in the care of his father’s girlfriend in 2013, which led to him being diagnosed with a massive brain hemorrhage due to shaken baby syndrome.
This piece of legislation provides parents and caregivers with the Child Abuse Offenders Registry, to ensure they are surrounding their children with safe and trusted individuals. It was passed by the Senate on April 18 with bipartisan support.
This bill has received some backlash, as some individuals claim it is not “fair” to “violate” the privacy and confidentiality of individuals placed on the registry. The actions that these individuals chose violated the privacy and safety of the children they victimized. Although these individuals’ privacy would be violated, it is to ensure that we have access to needed information, services and resources for the safety and protection of children.
Please help protect our children by contacting Rep. Graham Filler at
Alexis Mayne is getting her Masters of Social Work at Michigan State University and is a foster care certification worker in mid-Michigan.
