In recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Wellesley Centers for Women and Massachusetts Children’s Alliance have joined together to co-host a webinar on the prosecution of child sexual abuse. During the program, Dr. Stephanie Block, Dr. Linda M. Williams, and Graduate Student Dr. Hannah M. Johnson will share insights from their white paper, Prosecution of Child Sexual Abuse: Challenges in Achieving Justice. They will be joined by Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall who will discuss the relevance of this work to the field.

The white paper is based on a study, funded by the National Institute of Justice, of 500 child sexual abuse reports to determine which reports resulted in prosecution and which cases made it to trial. The study examined the characteristics of cases that dropped out of the criminal justice system along the way and identified many of the obstacles that prosecutors, child victims and their caregivers, and child advocates face in responding to these cases. The white paper was developed with input from prosecutors, children’s advocacy centers, and pediatricians. It explores the challenges in responding to alleged child sexual abuse and offers specific recommendations for improving responses to these cases. During this webinar, panelists will discuss highlights from the white paper and share best practice guidelines for the field to increase access to justice for victims and to promote prosecutions when appropriate to show that child sexual abuse is taken seriously and that justice for the victims is a priority.

April 25, 2022, at 1:00 pm EST. Register here.