What the charge refers to
In New York, sexual abuse is the name of a specific group of offenses concerned with sexual contact, meaning touching of intimate parts, rather than the conduct charged as rape. It is divided into degrees, and the circumstances alleged, such as the age of the other person or the use of force, determine which degree is charged. Other states use the same phrase more broadly or not at all. Allegations involving children can also lead to charges with different names. The specific statute matters, because it shapes what the prosecution has to prove and what a resolution would carry with it.
When a family is involved
Accusations involving a child usually set off a child protective investigation alongside or ahead of any criminal case, run in New York City by the Administration for Children's Services and elsewhere by county child protective services. Family Court proceedings, temporary orders limiting contact with your own children, and requests that you leave the home can follow quickly. Statements made to a caseworker are not confidential and can be shared with police. Do not discuss the allegation with the child or ask other family members to do so, even to find out what was said. Children are often interviewed at child advocacy centers, and how those interviews were conducted can become an important issue later.
Coordinating the response
Because criminal, Family Court, and custody matters can run at the same time, they need a single plan: something said to help in one can hurt in another. We find out what has been alleged, which agencies are involved, and what orders are already in place. We look at the timeline, including when and how the allegation first came up, and at records such as school reports, medical visits, and messages. We also discuss practical arrangements, like where you will stay and how any permitted contact with your children will happen, so that you remain within every order.
