Protection for Undocumented Children Sexual Abuse Among Latino Children Living in The Heartland

Abstract

This paper is an exploration on the topic of childhood sexual abuse among the Latino population and specifically of the undocumented Latino population living in the communities that we serve. The basic child protection needs of undocumented Latino children often go unnoticed and children and families in need experience multiple barriers. In a time when immigration is increasingly an issue, we are concerned about whether or not families and children should be crossing the border that we do not stop to think about the protection needs of the children who are already here in this country. These children often go unnoticed and do not receive the services that are their basic human right. This guided review of the literature on the topic of Latino children living in the United States will explore what is known about the prevalence of sexual abuse in our communities and what is predicted to be the prevalence of sexual abuse among undocumented children. It will also identify obstacles that these children may face when accessing services. Finally, It will discuss potential concerns that practitioners may have when working with this population and some best practice suggestions for assisting an undocumented victim of sexual abuse. It is clear that we need to gain a better understanding of the relationship between ethnicity and the maltreatment of children, especially childhood sexual abuse.