Child abuse policy requires that the individual reporting
the alleged child abuse to specify the relationship between the child and the
individual who is subjecting the child to abuse. The person who is reporting
the abuse will need to inform the child abuse prevention services about the
nature of the abuse that is taking place. They will need to inform the
authorities whether the abuse is physical
If the reporter of the abuse is
unsure of this information, but has reason to suspect that a child is suffering
from abuse, the individual should contact the local authorities anyway. The
more information that an individual can provide about a child, the child’s
abuser, and the nature of the abuse, the more prepared that the child abuse
prevention services will be to handle the case.
Child abuse policy does not
require ordinary citizens who are reporting abuse to provide information about
themselves. They may contact the national or statewide abuse hotline, or their
local law enforcement agency, and remain anonymous. However, providing the
authorities with information about yourself may be beneficial to the child, as
the individual who was responsible for reporting the abuse may become pertinent
in the future of the case.
