Information For Parents
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victim Assistance
J. Edgar Hoover Building,
Room 3731
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW
Washington, DC 20535
Crimes Against Children
The FBI investigates
a number of crimes against
children that fall under
federal jurisdiction.
These crimes may include:
child sexual assault,
child physical abuse,
child abduction, and Internet
crimes against children.
These crimes can be reported
to any local law enforcement
agency whether it is county,
state, tribal, or federal.
However, it is usually
best to start with your
local law enforcement
agency which can determine
who should be notified.
When your child becomes
a victim of crime, you
may meet the following
people during the investigation:
FBI Special Agent:
Special Agents may talk
to you or your child about
what happened. Their job
is to investigate the
crime and present information
to the prosecuting attorney.
FBI Victim Specialist:
The FBI Victim Specialist
supports you and your
family throughout the
investigation and provides
you information on the
criminal justice process.
Your Victim Specialist
is available to notify
you of victim rights and
significant case events,
provide referrals for
services, locate resources,
assist with special needs,
and address safety issues
that your family may have.
Forensic Interviewer:
The forensic interviewer
has special training in
interviewing child victims.
The forensic interviewer
may talk with your child
at a child advocacy center,
if available in your area.
If a medical exam is needed
it may be performed there
as well.
Local Law Enforcement:
Often there is a joint
investigation between
the FBI and local law
enforcement which may
include: city, county,
state, and/or tribal agency
involvement.
Social Services:
Many state and local
laws require that law
enforcement and child
protective services coordinate
information in the investigation
of child abuse. These
agencies can provide information
and resources to help
you protect your child.
Victim Compensation Programs:
Victim compensation programs
may be available in your
state to help you and
your child. Please contact
your local FBI Victim
Specialist for further
information.
U.S. Attorney’s
Office:
The U.S. Attorney’s
Office is responsible
for prosecuting federal
crimes. An Assistant U.S.
Attorney is the government
prosecutor who will be
handling the case on behalf
of the federal government.
This office also has a
Victim/Witness program
to assist you and your
family during the prosecution.
The FBI Victim Specialist
will ensure a smooth transition
throughout this process.
You have a right to verify
the identity of any person
who contacts you during
the investigation.
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Do not question your
child
Your child may disclose
additional information.
It is very important to
listen, but do not question
your child. Notify law
enforcement personnel
of any new information,
and let them ask the questions.
Seeking information is
a natural reaction; however,
it could cause undue stress
and interfere with the
investigation.
Do not blame your child
Do not express emotions
such as shame, blame,
or judgment, as these
reactions could cause
a negative lifelong impact.
Remind your child you
love them. A child is
never responsible for
the actions of the offender.
Do not correct anything
your child tells you about
the incident
Children may have a hard
time describing what happened
or feel the need to talk
about it even before the
interview. Be careful
not to comment on anything
specific, and do not correct
your child. You can respond
by saying, “I am
really glad you told me
that” or “thank
you for telling me.”
Be careful about making
promises
It is important to be
honest with your child
about your role and responsibility
in cooperating with the
investigation. Be careful
not to promise rewards
for your child’s
cooperation. Also, be
careful not to make promises
about what will or will
not happen to the offender.
Be specific
On the day of the interview,
be honest with your child
about where you are going.
Let your child know it
is important to talk about
what happened and to tell
the truth. It is normal
to feel anxious. Let your
child know he/she is not
in trouble and did not
do anything wrong.
Respect your
child’s
privacy
Be careful not to discuss
what your child tells
you with others if it
is not necessary.
Keep your feelings
under control while
in your
child’s presence
Expressing anger, shock,
or judgment can make your
child feel ashamed. Showing
anger even towards the
offender can scare a child
and make the child think
he/she did something wrong.
It can be very upsetting
for a child to see you
lose control. Also, don’t
try to confront the offender
in or out of your child’s
presence. Let law enforcement
deal with the offender.
Ask for help
When one member of a
family is hurt by crime,
it affects the whole family.
As a parent you may be
dealing with difficult
feelings and emotions.
Feelings of guilt, anxiety,
and rage are not uncommon.
Counseling can assist
you in coping successfully
with these feelings.
Here are some ways that
you can help your child
cope with what has happened:
- When something like
this happens, you child
may have behavioral
and emotional changes
that
affect
his/her relationships,
daily activities, and
moods. A counselor or
therapist can help give
you ideas and resources
to help you and your
child deal with these
emotions.
- Try to help
your child regain control
of his/her
life by maintaining
a normal routine. Whenever
possible, give your
child
choices. Even simple
things like choosing
where to
eat or what to wear
can help a child feel
more
in control. Of course,
there are always decisions
that you must make for
your child’s well-being,
but listen when your
child says he/she does
not feel
safe.
On behalf of the FBI
Office for Victim Assistance,
we are committed to providing
you and your family with
the most appropriate services
to assist in reducing
the effects of trauma.
Your Victim Specialist
is highly trained to assess
your needs and link you
to the best resources
available. It is important
that you work closely
with your Victim Specialist.
Your Victim Specialist
can assist in making your
experience with the criminal
justice process as smooth
as possible.
For more information
or questions, please contact
your local Victim Specialist.
Limited Confidentiality
Statement
As your Victim Specialist,
I am here to assist you
as you go through the
criminal justice process.
However, you should know
that I work as part of
a team with the FBI Agent
and personnel from the
United States Attorney’s
Office. Discussions that
you have with me may not
be considered completely
confidential. As part
of the team, there may
be times when I need to
share information you
provide with the other
team members. This is
especially important if
you share information
regarding your safety
or a medical emergency
or when the information
could interfere with the
investigation of prosecution
of the case.
If you have any questions
about limited confidentiality,
you may contact me for
clarification.
Remember, your interests
are important to us. Many
victims have questions,
and we are here to help
provide you with answers
and practical assistance.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victim Assistance
J. Edgar Hoover Building,
Room 3731
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW
Washington, DC 20535
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