What is Institutional Child Abuse?

Many private youth programs use aversive behavioral modification models which focus on punitive measures to coerce compliance and control. These methods can be cruel, unethical, and blatant violations of human rights. Use of such negligent procedures often lead to physical abuse, sexual abuse, and psychological trauma. The use of these methods listed below and their resulting trauma is what we refer to as institutional abuse.

Neglect

• Denial of adequate medical care, in a timely manner, by a licensed clinician.
• Denial of necessary medical treatment and medications.
• Denied access to school as punishment. 
• Policies and procedures that train staff to believe that children are “faking it” when they complain of illness and injury.

Physical Abuse

• Physical/Mechanical restraint;
• Use of Prone (face-down) and pressure point restraints;
• Misuse of restraint as punishment.
• Use of electroshock devices.
• Stress positioning/infliction of physically painful punishments.
• Forced labor, grueling punishments or calisthenics that result in exhaustion and dehydration.

Psychological Abuse

• Aversive Behavior Modification. 
• Solitary confinement/isolation;
• locking children in cages, makeshift boxes or small, inhospitable rooms.
• Cruel and unusual punishments.
• No-Contact with Family and friends.
• Utilizing higher-level students to police and punish lower-level students.
• Lack of proper social interaction, social ostracism or prolonged periods of forced silence.

Neglect

• Denial of adequate medical care, in a timely manner, by a licensed clinician.
• Denial of necessary medical treatment and medications.
• Denied access to school as punishment. 
• Policies and procedures that train staff to believe that children are “faking it” when they complain of illness and injury.

Denial of Basic Human Rights

• Admittance without consent or due process by involuntary and forceful transport to the facility.
• Denial of direct and unmonitored communication with law enforcement, legal representation, and child protective services.
• Monitored phone calls with parents and retaliation, if abuse is reported.

• Deprivation of sleep, adequate nutrition, and access to proper hygiene.

• Denial of clothing, including weather-appropriate attire.

• Mail censorship.
• Forced child labor or pointless menial labor (ie: moving rocks, digging graves, hauling large objects, pulling horse carts etc.)

Sexual Abuse

• The cruel and unusual use of strip searches and cavity searches.
• Forced pelvic exams/ virginity checks.
• Sexual assault or any sexual contact between staff and student. 
• Grooming for emotional or sexual relationships.
• Viewing, photographing or video taping children in undress; or showing pornographic images to children. 
• Forced sexualized behavior, reenactments of sexual assault and sexual shaming.
• Any methods used for the sole purpose of “conversion therapy” of LGBTQ+ youth.

Denial of Basic Human Rights

• Admittance without consent or due process by involuntary and forceful transport to the facility.
• Denial of direct and unmonitored communication with law enforcement, legal representation, and child protective services.
• Monitored phone calls with parents and retaliation, if abuse is reported.

• Deprivation of sleep, adequate nutrition, and access to proper hygiene.

• Denial of clothing, including weather-appropriate attire.

• Mail censorship.
• Forced child labor or pointless menial labor (ie: moving rocks, digging graves, hauling large objects, pulling horse carts etc.)

Legislation

Federal Legislation

ICAPA Team:  M-F 9am - 4pm PST

Chelsea:  M-F ~ 4:30pm PST

General: info@icapanetwork.org

Policy: action@icapanetwork.org

ICAPA Team:  M-F 9am - 4pm PST

Chelsea:  M-F ~ 4:30pm PST