April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, but times are quite different as everyone is out of school due to the coronavirus. That said, teachers, coaches and other school faculty or staff have typically been the first line of defense for children who are abused in their homes.
That was Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford and Cannon County Executive Director Sharon DeBoer.
Rutherford County Sheriff's Office Detective Patty Oeser told WGNS NEWS that child abuse report numbers are down, which could be due to the fact that schools are closed and many children don't have a trusted adult to turn to.
Sadly, reports at the federal level indicate there could be a flood of child abuse reports once schools are re-opened. The cases could also involve the sexual exploitation of children online. The FBI wrote in a news release, "Children who are home from school and spending more time online may be at increased risk for exploitation."
