Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Francisco Rabauliman, center, with Division of Youth Services Administrator Vivian Sablan, right, and Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture Director Gloriana Teuira conduct a press conference on Tuesday at the DCCA administration office on Capital Hill.
THE number of child abuse and neglect victims is “alarming,” Division of Youth Services Administrator Vivian Sablan said.
In fiscal year 2020, she added, there were 271 child abuse cases; in FY 2021, 285; in FY 2022, 345; and in FY 2023, 459.
“What’s more alarming is we are now dealing with over 1,214 victims in FY 2023 — 1,152 in Saipan, 17 in Tinian, and 45 in Rota. And these are primary and secondary victims. Primary victims are the ones directly hurt and affected, and you have the siblings that go through the emotional part of it and so they are counted in our services,” Sablan said.
“I think the numbers are high because people are more aware, and are more comfortable to make a report now because DYS is out there,” she added.
She said the reported incidents in FY 2022 included 115 physical abuse cases, 103 sexual abuse cases, 245 emotional abuse cases, 202 neglect cases, and 148 other cases (involving support services, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, sex trafficking of a minor, truancy and suicidal thoughts).
Sablan said the number of reported absenteeism or truancy has also increased.
“When schools make attendance referrals to DYS, the schools have already exhausted their resources. The schools do what they can before it gets referred to the Student Attendance Review or SAR committee. The schools have their own protocols: home visitation, contacting parents, etc. We are very involved with SAR — our juvenile probation, our child protective services are very involved,” Sablan said.
According to a report that she provided to reporters on Tuesday, the number of child abuse and neglect victims in FY 2022 was 956; in FY 2021, 863; and in FY 2020, 742.
“That’s why we try to leverage resources and work closely with our partners because we cannot do it alone,” Sablan said.
She said DYS has eight case workers in Saipan, two in Rota, and two in Tinian.
“We want [to] track the families and provide services long term,” she added. “We don’t want to disregard anyone. We have to provide services long-term to effectuate change, and we try to do that when we can. But it is also important for the community to know that as we are working on [current cases], we still have more cases coming in. It’s a struggle for the staff, but I think because we have great partners and we share resources, we tap … them for their expertise, and we are able to move forward and help serve the families,” Sablan said.
She said DYS will continue to make the community aware of the issue.
“We cannot deny that we have it. … We are also trying to change how DYS is … perceived. DYS is known as ‘they’re going to take my kids away.’ We don’t want to be perceived as that. We want the community to know that we are here to help, we are just here to intervene, provide the necessary services, make sure the children are safe first and foremost, provide the support services. Our ultimate goal is to reunite the family,” she added.
For his part, Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Francisco Rabauliman invites the community to the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month proclamation signing this Thursday at the Capital Hill baseball field at 5 p.m.
“The whole idea here is to create awareness of child abuse and neglect,” he said. “It is an increasing problem for the community. I think the more we educate and the more we send out information, the more prepared people get to respond to these types of incidents related to child abuse and neglect.”
