April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and has been recognized as such since the Reagan years. There is currently an effort underway in our General Assembly for Tennessee to formally recognize this month.
There are over 70,000 cases of child abuse reported in Tennessee each year. The actual number is surely higher. The CDC estimates that one in seven children nationally are the victims of abuse or neglect. The Hamilton County Juvenile Court would bring to the public’s attention the law regarding reporting of child abuse.
Tennessee law requires every person to report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-403 states that “any person who has knowledge of or is called upon to render aid to any child who is suffering from or has sustained any wound, injury, disability, or physical or mental condition shall report such harm immediately if the harm is of such a nature as to reasonably indicate that it has been caused by brutality, abuse or neglect….” Further, Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-605 states that “any person … who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been sexually abused shall report such knowledge or suspicion….”
The reports may be made to: (1) the Juvenile Court Judge with jurisdiction over the child; (2) the Department of Children’s Services; (3) the Sheriff of the county where the child resides; or (4) the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the municipality where the child resides.
The Department of Children’s Services Child Abuse Hotline is: 1-877-237-0004, or 1-877-542-2873. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department non-emergency number is 423-622-0022. The Chattanooga Police Department’s non-emergency number is 423-698-2525.
Reports can be made on-line via the DCS website at https://carat.app.tn.gov/carat/ which can be easily found by simply searching for Tennessee Child Abuse Hotline. Of course, if the matter is an emergency, please call 911. A failure to report child abuse is a Misdemeanor under both statutes.
Rob Philyaw, Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge