Parents often like to believe that they are able to recognize and keep child abusers away from their children. Unfortunately, people who abuse children often look and act just like everyone else, making them seem trustworthy. They can even make children feel convinced that neglect or abuse is acceptable because these abusers have some form of control in their lives.
The perpetrators of abuse can include:
- School administrators and teachers
- Managers or employees at daycare
- Sports coaches and team managers
- Members of the clergy or other religious leaders
- Families and friends
- Families
- Caregivers or babysitters
Employers can sometimes be held liable for permitting abuse. Abuse cases are most prevalent in schools and daycares that fail to conduct background checks or ignore the results of background checks on their employees. These actions are considered negligence because a reasonable person would conduct background checks to ensure the safety of children.
Child abuse lawyer Ethan Steward and attorney Martin Mohr at the New York Family Law Group has been helping families ensure that perpetrators of child abuse are made to face the consequences in New York of their actions.