Child Care and Daycare Sexual Abuse in Dallas

Daycare centers are necessary to many working parents, who rely on these services to keep their children safe. A 2012 Texans Care for Children report notes this need in Dallas Tx, where 63% of children under age 12 have two working parents. While most daycare employees take children’s health and wellbeing seriously, a minority might use their position to abuse and exploit the people in their care.

If you suspect a daycare employee hurt your child, you are not alone. The Texas child injury lawyers at Carabin Shaw can help your family secure compensation for the abuse.

After the daycare abuse panics of the 1980s subsided, many Americans wrote off childcare centers as a locus for sexual abuse. The facts, however, tell a different story. National data gives us a better sense of child care and daycare sexual abuse cases.

Darkness to Light, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse, reports:

• Over 90% of abused children know the perpetrator. 60% of these abusers are someone the family trusts. These figures might include teachers, religious figures, youth group leaders, coaches, babysitters, and more.
• Most children under five receive care from someone who isn’t a parent. 23.4% of these children are in organized childcare. Those who aren’t in daycare, nurseries, and preschools are usually with a family member.
• 20% of all daycare child abuse cases involve sexual abuse. Other instances of daycare abuse include physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect.

• Every 9 minutes, child protective services substantiates a child sexual abuse claim.
• 34% of all child sexual abuse victims are under age 12.

A Dallas Tx sexual abuse lawyer appreciates how shocking these figures are and believes your family deserves compensation and support.

While every child’s stress response is different, experts encourage parents and guardians to be mindful of behavioral changes in their children. Some potential signs of Dallas child care sexual abuse include:

• Physical symptoms of sexual trauma, such as bleeding or bruised genitals
• Infections like UTIs and yeast infections
• Conversation changes (e.g., the child openly discusses sexual topics, keeps secrets, etc.)
• Fear or discomfort around strangers or specific people
• Hygiene changes, such as bathing too little or more often than usual
• Depression or isolation
• Regressive behaviors, like thumb-sucking or bedwetting
• Changes in mood or personality, including increased aggression

You, as a parent, know your child. While our children change as they grow up, rapid behavioral and emotional shifts are uncommon. If you suspect that your child has been abused, talk to them and contact the police. Then, get in touch with the Texas child injury lawyers at Carabin Shaw.

A criminal attorney will prosecute and punish your child’s abuser. By contrast, a civil lawyer will seek monetary compensation on your child’s behalf. While money might not seem as important as jail time, child sexual abuse has long-term effects. RAINN reports that survivors are more likely to develop symptoms of drug abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. These problems do not disappear when an abuser goes to jail.

A settlement cannot take away your family’s pain. Still, it can connect you with healing resources, like individual and family counseling, and provide financial stability for your child.

Parents and guardians manage constant daily stress. However, child sexual abuse is heartbreaking and unexpected. If your family experienced this issue, a Carabin Shaw lawyer will look over your case and assess your options. They can also connect you with helpful resources moving forward.

For a free case review / initial consultation with an attorney, call us toll-free at 800-862-1260. We operate 24/7 and have English and Spanish-speaking representatives ready to take your call.