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Department
of Human Services Families
First Online Policy Manual Protection of Children |
Revised: |
38.4 |
STATUTORY RAPE |
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The information has been provided from the
Child Protective Services manual for the caseworker to use in evaluating
whether child abuse/neglect might exist and/or whether a referral to
Department of Children’s Services for further evaluation is in order. |
All Family Assistance staff is required to
report knowledge of possible statutory rape, as they are required to report
any kind of child abuse or neglect. In
·
Consenting sexual
penetration when the victim is at least 13 but less than 18 years old and the
person he/she consented to have sexual penetration with is at least four (4)
years older. Statutory rape is a class E felony. Punishment for a class E felony is a prison
sentence ranging from 1 to 6 years. ·
Contact your
local Department of Children’s Services (DCS) office and notify the Child
Protective Services intake worker of a possible occurrence of statutory rape
when a Families First applicant or recipient is: - A minor at least thirteen (13) years of age
but less than eighteen (18) years of age, and is pregnant or has children; or - A parent, legal guardian or custodian on
behalf of such a person; and - The father of the minor’s unborn child or
the father of her child(ren)
is at least four years older than the minor. Note: Do not question the pregnant minor regarding
the age of the A/P as this is not information we normally gather prior to a
child’s birth. However, if information
presented during the interview reveals that statutory rape is a possibility,
contact DCS. Otherwise, A/P
information can be collected when the child is born. Either caseworkers or supervisors may report suspected statutory rape
to DCS. Do not document your report in the eligibility and case
management system. Follow up the verbal report by documenting: ·
The case
name. ·
The case
number. ·
The victim’s
name. ·
The
suspected perpetrator. ·
The date the
report was made to DCS. ·
The name of
the person who made the report to DCS. ·
The name of
the DCS Child Protective Services intake worker to whom the report was made. Provide the statutory rape pamphlet to your
clients at orientation and each application and renewal and make them
available to your contract providers for distribution to your participants. |
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