THEY'RE PROS AT WIPING AWAY TEARS.Byline: Dennis McCarthy Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
"Sometimes I want to jump off the witness stand and slap the perpetrator A term commonly used by law enforcement officers to designate a person who actually commits a crime. , especially when it's children they've abused.'' - Connie Moore, a registered nurse with the Children's Assault Treatment Services at Northridge Hospital Medical Center Northridge Hospital Medical Center is a hospital in the Northridge town of Los Angeles, California, USA. It is currently operated by Catholic Healthcare West. History The hospital was founded in 1955 by Dr. . They never do, though. They sit there on the witness stand and steel themselves to testify To provide evidence as a witness, subject to an oath or affirmation, in order to establish a particular fact or set of facts. Court rules require witnesses to testify about the facts they know that are relevant to the determination of the outcome of the case. to the facts because that's their job. They are professionals. There is no room for emotionalism or personal feelings in a court of law. Just as well because that's been pretty much rung out of them already on the night that police, a family friend or a parent bring the child to them in the hospital. Boy or girl, doesn't matter. The kid's crying, scared, and hurting because somebody - most of the time an adult in their own family - physically or sexual abused them. And now, it's the job of people like Connie Moore, Carol Morton and Michele Mittelman to wipe away the tears, calm the fears, and try to ease the pain for these kids. It's a job they do, on average, 60 times a month in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Sixty young children, teens, and increasingly, young girls who are slipped drugs and date raped date rape n. forcible sexual intercourse by a male acquaintance of a woman, during a voluntary social engagement in which the woman did not intend to submit to the sexual advances and resisted the acts by verbal refusals, denials or pleas to stop, and/or physical , coming to them for help. ``We are the first step in that child's healing,'' says Morton, who runs CATS, Children's Assault Treatment Services at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. While nurse examiner Connie Moore, who has been specifically trained in dealing with physical and sexual abuse, cares for the child's immediate physical well being, Morton is on the phone with Michele Mittelman, sexual assault response team sexual assault response team A team of health care professionals–eg, ER physician, forensic nurse, social worker, specifically trained in responding to victims of sexual assault–rape; SARTs combine '… coordinator for the Valley Trauma Center trauma center n. A medical facility that is designated to treat severe physical trauma as a result of the specialized training of its staff and the availability of appropriate diagnostic and treatment tools. . Within minutes, Mittelman or one of her volunteers arrives at the hospital, usually with a police officer to take a report. ``CATS takes care of the physical part, we take care of the emotional,'' Mittelman said Friday. Takes care of the hand-holding and the shoulder to lean on. Makes sure that every victim knows counseling is available for them and their family to get through this nightmare. And, if it gets into the criminal justice system, lets them know they'll be with them every step of the way as the victim deals with prosecutors and law enforcement officials. It's a big, important job these women are doing for this community, and sadly, it's also one that keeps getting bigger everyday. ``We used to see 10 or 12 cases a month, now we're seeing 60, and we've had to move into bigger quarters,'' Morton said. It may not be solely because more abuse cases are happening in the community, though, she says. It could be because people are feeling more comfortable now to come to a place like CATS, or it could be that there is just greater community awareness that help is available. That's another one of their jobs, Morton says, working on stopping child abuse before it gets to an advanced stage. That's why she spends a good deal of her time out at schools asking teachers to be on the alert for signs of abuse, and at police station roll calls teaching officers what to look for when they think maybe the call they are answering may involve child abuse. It takes a special kind of person to want to volunteer to help the Valley Trauma Center help these kids, Mittleman says. A person with a lot of empathy empathy Ability to imagine oneself in another's place and understand the other's feelings, desires, ideas, and actions. The empathic actor or singer is one who genuinely feels the part he or she is performing. and a good listener, she says. If you're interested in trying, a training class is beginning next month in Northridge. Call (818) 772-0196, and ask for Jennifer Griffin Jennifer Griffin (born 1969) is a Fox News correspondent, currently reporting from the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. as national security correspondent. Prior to her reassignment (on 12 March 2007), she had reported from Jerusalem for the network since joining it in 1999. . The 24-hour hotline numbers to report possible sexual or physical abuse to the center are (818) 886-0453, and (661) 253-0258. THERE WAS THIS LITTLE BOY one time, Connie Moore says. She just couldn't help herself. She broke down and started crying. ``I've done everything there is to do in nursing, but this is the most fulfilling,'' the veteran nurse says. ``When those little kids reach up and hug you when it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a for them to leave, well, it breaks your heart.'' So, excuse her, if once in a while when she's testifying in a child abuse case, she feels like jumping off the witness stand and slapping slapping, n massage technique that uses the flat palms of the hands percussively; a form of tapotement. See also tapotement. the perpetrator. She's just being human. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Ready to confront young victims of abuse are from left Connie Moore, a nurse with Children's Assault Treatment Services (CATS); Michele Mittelman, Carol Morton and Dianney Bedford. Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer |
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