Keesha

Three-year-old Keesha usually loved to visit her aunt, so her parents were very surprised when she burst into tears when told she would be "going to Auntie's. In talking to her in an effort to understand and soothe her, they learned that she was afraid of "Man", who was a neighbor and family friend of her aunt's. They knew that sometimes "Man"  babysat  Keesha briefly during visits to her aunt's home.

At BCAC, Keesha cooperated fully during her interview. However, she became frustrated trying to explain what had happened when she was with "Man".  Understanding that a normal three-year-old sometimes did not have the vocabulary to describe what had happened, the interviewer asked Keesha to "show" what had happened by using anatomically correct male and female dolls.  Keesha  was able to very clearly demonstrate sexual activity between the dolls.

Often, children are unable to verbally communicate what has happened to them. They often display high levels of fear and anxiety.  BCAC's forensic interviewers are trained to work with children whose verbal skills are still developing, and utilize play therapy techniques. Simply stated, words are not the only way that children can "tell" about the sexual abuse they have suffered.