Child Abuse Issue Has Many Victims

In response to the article written by Robin Abcarian on April 16 (“Yes, Abuse Claims Must Be Investigated . . . But Then What?”): Having been a victim of a child-abuse hot line, I feel I need to add my experience which, I understand, is all too common, according to the social worker who responded to our home.

I received a visit from a social worker to investigate a child abuse report that was placed through an 800 child-abuse hot line.

The social worker said an anonymous caller claimed that she rode by my house on a bicycle every evening between 7 and 8. The caller stated that she heard my children crying, “Mommy, stop, don’t hurt me, Mommy!”

The social worker took one look at my two teen-agers and immediately knew the call was a false alarm. We suspect who our anonymous caller is.

The social worker told me to be prepared for more visits since people can call the hot line day and night and each call gets reported to a different case worker.

She said don’t be surprised if a sheriff accompanies a worker, depending on how serious they think the call is.

Now I sit here waiting for the next assault, wondering what are my choices.

M. CRISTIANO

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While I can understand the concerns of the parents of the child who was evaluated for child abuse, I’m a school nurse who worked with children for 14 years. Our duty is to the children, not the parents.

Reporting suspicions of child abuse has saved the lives of many children. Sometimes school personnel are the only people standing between the child and their abusers.

The Branches should be thankful there are people who care enough about their daughter to risk the parents’ anger and retaliation to make sure the child was safe.

JEANNETTE Van HORST

Woodland Hills