RGV support services grow as child abuse cases number in the thousands

HARLINGEN — The bruises and the silences and the meltdowns tell stories terrifying and tragic.

They are stories of screaming and slapping and towering monsters creeping into dark rooms of the innocents hiding under covers.

While April was observed as Child Abuse Prevention Month, children are abused every day in all parts of the world.

The effects extend throughout the life of the victim through diminished productivity and strained relationships.

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Hidalgo and Starr Counties, which is part of a national organization with 800 agencies throughout the nation and more than 70 in Texas, conducted services for 2,093 victims in the area, 2,951 mental health sessions, 1,937 forensic interviews and 234 exams in 2024 alone.

The center works with law enforcement, Child Protective Services, and the district attorneys’ offices in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says adult survivors of child abuse are more likely to experience mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and substance use disorders.

That’s why the Child to Adult Abuse Response Team at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen stands ready throughout the year to provide around-the-clock critical services to both child and adult victims of abuse, neglect, and sexual assault, said Matt Lynch, communications manager for Valley Baptist.

“The abuse response team provides care to more than 100 patients each month, in addition to working with partners and advocates throughout the community and testifying in legal court cases involving abuse,” Lynch said. “As part of the services offered by the abuse response team, four specially trained sexual assault nurse examiners who are also skilled as forensic nurses care for patients in a calming and secure treatment room designed specifically for victims of abuse, where doctors and nurses can provide medical care to the community’s most vulnerable.”

This kind of proactive approach to child abuse is crucial, said Sylvia Gamboa, director of guidance and counseling for the Harlingen school district.

“When a child is hurting, it can impact every part of their lives — their ability to learn, build relationships, and feel safe in the world,” Gamboa said. “That’s why it’s so important to build a culture of trust and awareness in our schools. By educating staff, empowering students, and partnering with families and communities, we can help prevent abuse before it starts and ensure every child has the opportunity to grow up safe, healthy, and supported.”

Valley Baptist also has a strong commitment to look after all aspects of health in the local community, said Genette Spear, a member of CAART since its inception in 2006.

“The Child to Adult Abuse Response Team was created to provide that care to the most vulnerable of our population, those people affected by sexual abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and victims of other forms of violence,” said Spear, who is certified by the Texas Attorney General’s Office as a Certified Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner.

“Child abuse affects everyone,” she said. “It affects all ages, all genders, all socio-economic groups. Every person either knows someone who was abused or was abused themselves. Unfortunately, many do not come forward. Many who come forward may face many obstacles including disbelief, victim blaming, social isolation. Medical care should not be one of those obstacles.”

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