The Neighborhood Service Organization has launched a global movement to demand accountability and systemic change for child abuse survivors.
The Detroit-based health and human service agency kicks off its #DontTouchMe campaign by offering children and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence access to same-day and next-day support services through its four clinics. Appointments can be made by calling 1-888-360-WELL.
“We sometimes forget that behind every headline is a child whose life has been irrevocably altered due to the impact of sexual or physical abuse,” Linda Little, president and CEO of NSO, said in a statement. “This movement is for individuals like Detroiters Na’Ziyah Harris, the 13-year-old who was sexually assaulted, kidnapped and murdered in 2024, and the 12-year-old child who bravely came forward about inappropriate text messages from her stepfather, a police officer. This is not just a Detroit issue; it is a national epidemic that cannot be left unchecked.”
One of the first priorities of NSO’s movement is addressing the need for required trauma-informed, age-specific training for law enforcement officers, abuse investigators and judges. Effective training must focus on protocols as well as implicit bias and the unique barriers faced by children of color, NSO stated in a Friday news release.
Related:
- Detroit police chief to direct new resources to missing persons, cold cases
- Desperate for child social workers, Michigan offers $20K for college
While the #DontTouchMe movement is aimed at justice for survivors, it will also support those working in the legal system. Law enforcement, child protective services and legal professionals need the information and tools to recognize and respond appropriately to the complex ways children process and disclose trauma. Predators groom, manipulate and silence victims – and if investigators don’t understand these dynamics, children will continue to be failed by the system, the organization says.
Key reforms being pursued by #DontTouchMe include:
- Stronger legal protections for children reporting abuse
- Required training for law enforcement and abuse investigators on abuse and age-specific trauma responses in children
- Stricter penalties for convicted abusers
- Integrated investigations among law enforcement, the justice system and protective agencies handling abuse cases, with independent oversight
More than 656,000 children are victims of abuse and neglect each year in the United States, according to Children’s Bureau statistics referenced by NSO, with 76% of perpetrators being a parent. Despite those figures, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center reports that only 20% of reported child abuse cases lead to an arrest or prosecution of the abuser.
NSO’s #DontTouchMe movement “is dedicated to protecting the constitutional right of children to live free from harm by raising awareness and advocating for systemic reforms that too often fail survivors in their pursuit of justice.”
The movement was founded by Little, who is a survivor of abuse and has fought to bring justice for her daughter. Her personal experience with both the trauma of abuse and the failures of the justice system inspired her to take action. NSO serves 12,000 people annually in Wayne and Oakland counties.
“Too many survivors are blamed, silenced, dismissed or retraumatized by a system that should be protecting them,” Little said in a news release. “The voices and stories of these children is our call to action—to bring the flaws in our system to light and fight for the changes needed to hold abusers accountable.”
As part of the campaign, NSO is encouraging the community to come together for children – business leaders, survivors, advocates and policymakers – to join the movement by sharing their stories and supporting legislative reforms that prioritize the safety and justice of children.
There is already growing support from organizations who serve children and families. Initial supporters include Alternatives for Girls, Authority Health, Black Family Development, Dunamis Charge, Franklin Wright Settlements, Detroit Service Learning District, SASHA Center, BLOOM Transformation Center, The Yunion, and Community Health and Social Services (CHASS).
Others can join the movement by visiting DontTouchMe.wiki, download the digital toolkit and/or donate to the campaign.
“We must do better for our children,” added Little. “Every child has the right to be safe, to be heard and to receive justice. #DontTouchMe is more than a campaign—it’s a movement for change.”