New Oregon law mandates college workers to report child abuse

May 10, 2013

New Oregon law mandates college workers to report child abuse

Article provided by Hubert G. Duvall, Jr.
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A new law recently took effect in Oregon that mandates college and university employees to report suspected child abuse if they know about it, see it or suspect it. This recent mandate bolsters laws already requiring health care workers, lawyers, clergy and teachers to tell the police or the state's Department of Human Services if they believe child abuse is occurring. According to data compiled by the DHS, nearly 75,000 reports of neglect and abuse were received in 2011 alone, and over 48 percent of the victims were children under the age of six.

The law was passed in the wake of the 2011 sex abuse scandal at Penn State University, in which cover-ups reportedly occurred school-wide. The hope is that if additional types of workers are legally required to report child abuse, more people will step forward when they know or suspect abuse.

About the new law

The new mandate pertains to higher education employees such as administrators, maintenance workers, teachers, sports coaches, paid student workers and others. Some schools have even implemented scheduled training sessions to instruct these individuals in identifying potential abuse situations, and informative documentation, such as literature containing frequently asked questions, have been sent out to all school employees, according to a spokesperson for the Oregon University System.

The new law says that school employees only need suspicion to make a report. According to the Oregon DHS website, suspicion is defined as "reasonable cause to believe" that abuse is occurring.. Once a report is made DHS and the police will investigate the claim.

Legal ramifications for those accused of child abuse

According to DHS statistics, child abuse reports have steadily increased year over year between 2002 and 2011; approximately 40,000 cases were reported in 2002. In 2011, 17 percent of reports came from schools, a minor percentage compared to the 20.7 percent of reports from sources who were not required by law to report abuse. It is not clear how the new reporting requirement will impact the incidences of child abuse reports; however, advocates of the law hope the new requirement will encourage more people to step forward.

Getting help if you've been accused

If you believe you are suspected of child abuse or face child abuse charges contact a qualified criminal defense attorney. Consulting early on with a criminal defense attorney experienced in child abuse cases will help you understand your rights.