The face of abuse gets younger and smaller each day and impacts many. That is the real world lesson some college students received at a Fordham-area child center.

Fordham University seniors Hanna Letts, Melissa Sigh, and Robin Ramirez interned this year at the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) at Union Hospital. The trio assisted in working with children while their parents and/or abused siblings were interviewed by healthcare experts. Even though these children were not the primary victims, their lives were deeply impacted as well.

One child had anger management problems. The child would throw items and run screaming through the waiting room. But the child was only acting out from problems in the home. Some children told Letts about living with mice and roaches in their apartments, where they are forced to live because their mom does not make enough money to leave.

“We heard so much in psych class and textbooks, but it’s quite different to see that applied,” said Singh.

The interns saw how children are more sexualized. Some of the sexual abuse victims are five years old. Some offenders are pre-K students.

“The age of the victims is getting younger and younger,” said CAC Program Director Lynn Hamberg.

One memorable patient Letts saw was a two-year-old slow learner. He had a progressive development disorder, and did not talk much. During their time together, he was able to open up a lot more. She met with the child while his mother was treated for domestic violence.

The students would draw or read stories to the children or even play with dolls. The goal was to try not only to occupy these children while their parents or siblings were being interviewed by social workers and authorities, but also to get them to open up.

“I hope I helped to calm them down. Just to have them smile once during the day,” Singh said.

The center is one year into the Safe Start Promising Approaches for Children Exposed to Violence program, a Department of Justice-funded study on intervention models. One group will receive one-stop social service: psychotherapy, case management, and other services. The other group will only get referrals to other programs. DOJ wants to determine how effective the one-stop social service approach is. The goal of the program is to reduce the effects of violence and to end the circle of violence.

Hamberg said the Fordham students got a good view of the impact of abuse but also helped the center out.

“We’re operating on a skeletal staff here at [the Child Advocacy Center],” she said. “I don’t know what we would have done without them.”