ALFRED — When the Children’s Advocacy Center of York County opened in May 2017, the agency that interviews and provides services for victims of reported child sexual abuse estimated they’d get 250 referrals in a year.
The estimates were on target.
CAC’s program manager Molly Louison recently updated York County commissioners on the numbers for 2018 at a recent meeting. CAC is located at the York County Court House in Alfred, in space provided free by York County.
CAC is a program of Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine. 
“We interview children and arrange services,” Louison told county commissioners.
In addition to forensic interviews, the center provides coordinated meetings with investigators, staff, children and their families; medical services by a board-certified pediatrician; referrals for services like mental health providers, victim’s rights, legal aid, domestic violence support; and more. As well, there are follow-up visits by a family advocate.
Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine Executive Director Melanie Sachs told commissioners the agency was proud to partner with York County government.
“We are well on our way to national accreditation,” She said. “We could not have done this without you.”
Louison said most CAC agencies in Maine average 200 to 300 referrals. Of the 250 referrals in York County in 2018, most youngsters, 43 percent, were 7 to 12 years old, and most, 27.6 percent, were that age when they reported they’d been the subject of sexual abuse. Nearly 33 percent were 13 to 17 years old; 22.3 percent were 3 to 6 years old.
Most of the alleged offenders, 35.3 percent, were between 35 and 59 years old; just over 20 percent were up to 17-years-old or 25 to 34 years old, while 9.8 percent were 18 to 24 years old. According to CAC, 5.4 percent were 60 and older. The age of the alleged offenders was unknown in nearly 9 percent of the cases.
The alleged perpetrator was a non-parental relative in 29 percent of cases and a parent in 28 percent of cases; 13 percent of the perpetrators were acquaintances, 6 percent were the parent’s partner or spouse, 6 percent were their peers, while 2 percent were their dating partners, according to CAC. Around 1 percent were strangers.
Most of the referrals made by law enforcement came from the Maine State Police, followed by the York County Sheriff’s Office, Biddeford Police, Sanford Police and others.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services office in Biddeford made 57 percent of referrals, while the Sanford DHHS office made 38 percent. About 5 percent were made by other DHHS offices.
The office opened in May 2017. From June through December that year, the agency averaged 12 referrals a month, From June through December in 2018, there were 20 monthly referrals, on average.
In response to a question, Louison said child sexual abuse numbers had not gone up; the increase was due to the agency becoming more well known.
In the reported child sexual abuses cases, according to CAC, 53 people were charged with crimes; there were 21 arrests; and 15 indictments by a York County grand jury. Louison said there were five plea agreements, and one trial, in which the alleged perpetrator was found not guilty.
Sachs said the agency is talking with the York County Sheriff’s Office about using space at that facility for confidential interviews. As well, CAC has been approached by law enforcement about the possibility of conducting forensic interviews with children who may be witnesses to crimes or abuse and the like.
“Thank you for the good work you do,” said Commission Chairman Richard Dutremble.
“I think you’re doing a great job — it’s a good partnership,” said Commissioner Michael Cote.
The referral number of the Children’s Advocacy Center is 459-2380.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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