CHILD ABUSE REPORTS RISE IN REGION : CASE LEVEL 20 PERCENT HIGHER THAN IN 1980S.

Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer

Child abuse reports in Ventura County have risen steadily over the past decade - something local officials attribute to increased financial stress, a growing population and improved community awareness.

There were about 12,000 reports of child abuse and neglect in the county between July 1994 and June 1995, according to Child Abuse and Neglect Inc. of Ventura County.

Ten years ago there were fewer than 10,000 such reports, officials said.

``The numbers are not anywhere near heading down,'' said Kara Hillock, CAAN program administrator in Ventura County. ``And these don't even include cases that go unreported.''

These statistics include reports of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, according to CAAN officials, who estimate that nationwide, one in every 10 families is affected by child abuse, and more than 5,000 children die each year because of injuries inflicted by an adult.

Hillock believes the surge in reporting is partly the result of increased awareness of child abuse and of less public hesitance to contact authorities anonymously.

``One school of thought is that there's a lot more awareness now,'' Hillock said. ``People have learned how to recognize signs of abuse, compared to discipline.''

Jerry Blesener, deputy director of Child Protective Services in Ventura County, added that economic stress combined with a rising population have contributed to increasing numbers of abuse cases.

``We've also been moving in the direction of community responsibility in prevention,'' Blesener said. ``It's about each community taking care of its children.''

Signs of physical abuse, Hillock said, may include unexplained bruises or welts on the face, back and thighs, in various stages of healing.

Cigar or cigarette burns, bald spots from hair pulling or clothing worn to hide injuries also may indicate a child has been abused.

Physical abuse also can cause extremes in behavior, such as rebellion or fear, Hillock explained.

Difficulty in walking, stained underclothing or multiple personalities are signs of sexual abuse, Hillock said. A child who is sexually abused may disassociate from reality, run away from home, or engage in explicit sexual activity.

Physical signs of emotional abuse may include speech disorders, anachronistically infantile behavior or lags in emotional development. Emotional abuse also triggers sleep disorders, bizarre drawings of death or monsters, or the inhibition to play.

Because most reports are made confidentially, CAAN could not break down who, specifically, makes each report. Hillock said, however, that reports are frequently made by teachers, doctors and personnel of social-service agencies - all mandated by law to report suspected abuse.

Responding to the increase in child abuse reports, Simi Valley school board member Carla Kurachi recently spearheaded a child abuse prevention program that she hopes will be implemented officially in Simi's schools.

The Child Abuse Prevention Program is being offered throughout elementary schools to teach children about their rights to be safe and free when someone tries to harm them.

A former specialist in child abuse prevention for the Los Angeles Unified School District, Kurachi said she has seen firsthand the devastation that abused children carry throughout adulthood.

``The more educating we do of the public, the more people will be inclined to make reports,'' said Kurachi, who led an anonymous support group in the mid-1980s for parents who had abused their children and were learning not to do so.

``People need to become more aware and not be afraid to get involved,'' she said.

Those who wish to report an abuse, whether suspected or seen, may call toll-free at (800) 4-A-CHILD, or Ventura County's Child Protective Services, [phone]. Callers may remain anonymous.