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Anonymous reporting of child abuse protects child well-being
A growing number of advocates want to ban the anonymous reporting of child abuse even though the effects could be detrimental to children’s safety. Min
Imagine for a moment that you were the neighbor of 10-year-old Ayden Wolfe, the Harlem boy who was beaten to death by his mother’s boyfriend in early March. You call the police when you hear screams from the family’s apartment a woman yelling “Stop,” and a man demanding whether she wanted to be next.
Now, here’s the question: Would you give your name to the police? Consider that there are only eight apartments on the floor, and you are dealing with a man who has already had run-ins with the law because of domestic abuse. Wouldn’t you worry he would figure out who reported him or that some CPS investigator might let it slip? In fact, you might not call at all.