National Judges' Bench Book on Child Sexual Abuse

Members of the judicial/legal community from across the nation will benefit from a landmark project that addresses how the courts can best affect children sexually abused by a family member. Children's fate is often left to judges who are in need of more information to make the best decisions.

Stop the Silence, a non-profit dedicated to addressing the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse, received a grant from the Ford Foundation to complete the National Children's Bench Book (NCBB) to address these situations. The national project began in 2004 with funds from HHS and draws information from others who contributed important information to a Massachusetts bench book project in 2001 (e.g., Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. John Conte, Dr. Robert Reece) with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Bench Book provides critical information for judges and other professionals as they address CSA cases.

The Bench Book reflects an inter-disciplinary, child-centered approach to addressing the crisis of intra-familial CSA. It addresses the child's experience of trauma and provides suggestions for improved legal and judicial responses. The book is a product of the pro-bono efforts of several private law firms, individual attorneys, internationally recognized psychologists, and social scientists. It also addresses the roles of both the non-offending guardian and the offending parent, the issue of children's safety and emotional needs following traumatic events, and how to best protect children when they come before the courts. Ultimately, 1,500 books will be distributed to courts throughout the U.S.