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DCFS Continues Sex Abuse Invstigations

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services says too many cases of child sex abuse go un-reported.

The agency says such cases are up six-percent in counties outside of Cook.

But over 80% of those reports come from professionals, like teachers and doctors.

Dave Clarkin is a spokesman for DCFS. He says very few reports come from family members, friends, or neighbors of abused children, even though national statistics say 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before they turn eighteen.
 
"When help is delayed to kids until a 9-11 call is placed, or they show up at the emergency room or they turn school age, it means that the abuse has gone on much longer than it needed to. And we need people closest to kids to pick up the phone and call our hotline at 1-800-2-5-ABUSE as soon as they suspect that a child has been harmed or is in harm's way."
 
DCFS is asking the Illinois General Assembly to reallocate about half of the $86 million cut from its budget. Those funds would help re-organization efforts, aimed at turning more DCFS employees into front-line investigators.

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