| Gonzales Regional Children's Advocacy Center |
| Serving Gonzales and Lavaca Counties |
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| 1604 St. Paul St., Gonzales, Tx 78629 Phone 830-672-1278 |
| PROUD MEMBERS OF: |
| A 501 (C) (3) Tax exempt organization |
| . |
| OUR MISSION To restore the dignity, hope and security to children of Gonzales, Lavaca and surrounding counties by uniting public officials and our community. |
• Return to a normal routine as soon as possible.
• Set up an appointment with a therapist/counselor. Trying to sweep the problem under the rug usually causes
more problems because it will not just "go away."
• Find help for yourself. You don’t have to do it all by yourself. Contact Norma’s House for referrals.
• Teach your child the rules of personal safety. Tell them what to do if someone tries to touch them in an
uncomfortable way.
• Be careful not to question your child about the abuse. If you do, you can jeopardize the case in court against
your child’s abuser. Specially trained professionals at Norma’s House will interview your child to obtain the
necessary information without harming the case or further traumatizing him/her. If your child wants to talk about
it, listen supportively, but do not probe.
• Keep your child away from the person suspected of the abuse. This is to protect you, that person and the child.
• Avoid discussing the case with other victims or their families.
• Never coach or advise your child on how to act or what to say to professionals or investigators. This could
seriously damage the case.
• Your child may need an extra sense of physical security. Stay close, and assure your child you will keep them
safe.
• Set up an appointment with a therapist/counselor. Trying to sweep the problem under the rug usually causes
more problems because it will not just "go away."
• Find help for yourself. You don’t have to do it all by yourself. Contact Norma’s House for referrals.
• Teach your child the rules of personal safety. Tell them what to do if someone tries to touch them in an
uncomfortable way.
• Be careful not to question your child about the abuse. If you do, you can jeopardize the case in court against
your child’s abuser. Specially trained professionals at Norma’s House will interview your child to obtain the
necessary information without harming the case or further traumatizing him/her. If your child wants to talk about
it, listen supportively, but do not probe.
• Keep your child away from the person suspected of the abuse. This is to protect you, that person and the child.
• Avoid discussing the case with other victims or their families.
• Never coach or advise your child on how to act or what to say to professionals or investigators. This could
seriously damage the case.
• Your child may need an extra sense of physical security. Stay close, and assure your child you will keep them
safe.
| How Can I Help My Child? |
• Repair your relationship with your child(ren)
Looking back at your response to your child, you may have immediately believed him/her and responded quickly
to keep the offender away.
Many family members are not able to do this for any number of reasons. If this is so for you, it is important to
focus on your relationship with your child to return the relationship to what it was before the “outcry”.
• Assessing blame
No one but the offender is to blame for the abuse of your child.
• Family struggles
It is possible that family members may have had an idea or thought that something was “wrong” or occurring. To
prevent your statements about the abuse from being discredited, make sure to tell your CPS caseworker or law
enforcement officer all that you know. Even if you have made decisions in the past that you would like to change,
it doesn’t mean that you can’t protect your child now
| Issues to Think About |