Foster Care System Issues and Child Sexual Abuse
Foster care system issues within the state of California where over 60,000 children are in the foster care system. Many of these children experience various forms of abuse, including child sexual abuse.
Even though many children in foster care may be unaware of this, it holds true that these children can and should obtain justice for the abuse they have suffered.
To obtain justice for the child sexual abuse they have suffered, the first thing they can and should, do is to speak with a California child sexual abuse lawyer at Beck Law P.C.
What Is Foster Care?
The foster care system is a system of temporary placement that allows children to live with a foster parent for a temporary period of time. Many of the children placed into foster care have suffered from one of the following:
- Parental neglect.
- Parental abuse.
- Parental exploitation.
Each one of the above is grounds for a child to be removed from their home and placed in the care of a foster parent. The goal of foster care is to provide a child with safe, secure housing in a calm and healthy environment.
While the intentions behind foster care are undeniably good, the reality of the foster care system is slightly more complicated.
What Are the Three Most Common Child Sexual Abuse Foster Care System Issues?
Many issues exist within the foster care system. Some of the most notable issues within the foster care system, and stats that back up these issues, are as follows:
- Children within the foster care system are four times more likely to be sexually abused when compared to children who live with their biological parents.
- On average, 81% of girls who live in foster care experience some form of child sexual abuse.
- 68% of girls within the foster care system report being abused by more than one foster parent on more than one occasion.
Each of these statistics paints a bleak picture: children in the foster care system are vulnerable to child sexual abuse. But, this situation is all the more dire because many of these children never receive the care they need due to the overburdened foster care system.
What Is Foster Care System Sexual Abuse?
The definition of foster care sexual abuse is as follows: sexual abuse that occurs when a child is in foster care. Just as one might expect, foster care sexual abuse often involves a child who is sexually abused by either their foster parent or someone who is close to the foster parent.
Many of the children in foster care have few resources and very few people close to them. For this reason, escaping their abuse can be pretty difficult, much less obtaining justice for this abuse.
Even though this is the case, a foster child can and should seek justice for the crimes that have been committed against them. By doing so, they can obtain closure on the matter and damages for the abuse they suffered.
Speak With A Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Whether foster care system issues or not, every child who has suffered, or is currently suffering from, child sexual abuse is entitled to justice. This is just as true of foster children as it is of children who live with their biological parents.
Whether from Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, or elsewhere in California, speak with our California child sexual abuse attorney at Beck Law P.C., today, and we will assist you in obtaining justice.
