Child exploitation is an incredibly sensitive and difficult topic. It is vital to understand what resources are available to help the victims find healing.
Today's guest is Dr. Deaneè Johnson. Dr. Johnson has been a key player in advancing the victim services field at the federal, state, and local levels for over twenty years. As an OVC Fellow, she has assisted with collaborating with the DOJ to identify a range of child exploitation programs available nationwide, illuminating the best practices. She was most recently the chief program officer at the National Center for Victims of Crime before building her own consulting business Ascent Connection and Consulting Solutions. She also serves on the National Steering Committee for the Vision 21 Linking Systems of Care for Children and Youth, the Advisory Board for Preparedness Without Paranoia, and the Charles County Board of Education Safety in Maryland.
If you know or suspect child exploitation, sexual abuse, or any other kind of child victimization, contact the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. If you are looking for more resources as a victim of past child abuse, call Victim Connect at (855) 484-2846.
Show Notes:
- [1:39] - Dr. Johnson began her interest in this field of child exploitation in 1999 as a volunteer mentor. During her undergrad courses, she was focused on child abuse.
- [2:27] - After Dr. Johnson received her degree in Criminal Justice, she started her Master's in Counseling. She counseled adolescent youth that were victim of sexual abuse.
- [3:15] - Through her experience in counseling, Dr. Johnson felt that something was stirred inside her and she no longer felt that counseling was the direction she should take.
- [4:13] - Deaneè was given the opportunity to build a forensic interviewing program in a rural community in Texas. She got her masters and transferred her focus to forensic interviewing but still didn't understand her drive.
- [5:19] - She put all her energy and education towards the children who were victimized sexually.
- [6:28] - Throughout her experiences, Deaneè had a memory pop up and realized that she did not have memories from her childhood other than images from photos. She had been a victim of sexual abuse.
- [7:49] - Deaneè decided to go for her doctorate in Child Development with the drive to apply it to child victimization.
- [9:13] - Any child can be a victim. No statistic is going to be solid because it is such an unreported crime.
- [10:34] - 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be sexually victimized before their 18th birthday.
- [11:03] - There is no specific population or demographic that has higher rates of victimization than others.
- [12:00] - There are ways to minimize the likelihood of child exploitation but Dr. Johnson does not like to use the word prevention.
- [13:23] - Dr. Johnson is a chairperson on the Advisory Board of Preparedness Without Paranoia. She explains the education they provide.
- [14:55] - We're really uncomfortable talking about sex with kids in general and now add on talking about unwanted sex. That discomfort will show to our kids.
- [16:00] - If a child goes to their parents with a disclosure, we want to make sure the child knows that what they have to say is important and that keeps communication open.
- [17:27] - Believe the child who discloses. Whether or not the child is telling the truth is not the job of the parent at that moment. The job is to listen to your child and be there for them.
- [18:30] - If a child has been victimized once, it increases their likelihood of being victimized again. They need to have someone they can talk to about it.
- [19:50] - There are two different types of disclosures: active and non-active or accidental.
- [21:49] - Disclosure will vary child by child.
- [23:14] - Victimization from a family member that the child loves may not be something they think is inappropriate.
- [25:11] - Dr. Johnson defines grooming and examples of what this could look like. Grooming is a slow process and creates a false sense of trust.
- [26:38] - Grooming usually ends with threats if children disclose. It is a vicious cycle that continues with the kids feeling isolated and ashamed.
- [27:57] - The process of isolating a child or adolescent looks different in each situation and relationship. Dr. Johnson describes a story of an experience with a teenager she worked with.
- [30:01] - If you feel that there is something going on with a child you know, seeking help depends on the state you live in. Find out if you need to go to Child Protective Services and/or law enforcement.
- [32:09] - Dr. Johnson shares the contact information for the National Child Abuse Hotline and what they will assist with.
- [33:41] - She also shares the contact information for Victim Connect which is a resource for those who have been victimized in their own childhood.
- [34:19] - Many rape crisis centers offer counseling free of charge. Dr. Johnson shares other ways to get resources for healing in tribal communities.
- [36:41] - Dr. Johnson defines polyvictimization and how the cycle of abuse continues without intervention.
- [38:39] - There is a trajectory of polyvictimization that all starts with the early onset to exposure to violence, trauma, or childhood adversity.
- [40:36] - There is a higher likelihood that unaddressed trauma creates an adverse response. When you have individuals who do not have trauma addressed, their ability to cope and make good decisions decreases.
- [41:51] - The saying "hurt people will hurt people," is somewhat true but not in every situation. Dr. Johnson describes it as unaddressed trauma and not the victimization itself that causes someone to hurt others.
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