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2021 Zero Abuse Project Summit

Home » 2021 Zero Abuse Project Summit

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2021 virtual summit

About the Summit

The Annual Zero Abuse Project Summit is VIRTUAL this year and accessible to all front-line child abuse professionals no matter where you are located. The Summit will run June 22-23, 2021 from 8:30am Central Time until 11:00pm Central Time with morning sessions repeated in the evenings to allow those in Pacific, Alaskan, and Hawaiian time zones to participate more fully.

Join Victor Vieth, Rita Farrell, and other national investigative child protection experts as the 2021 Zero Abuse Project Summit explores emerging issues in forensic interviewing, investigation, and prosecution.

REGISTER NOW

Presentations

• Presenting Evidence in the Forensic Interview

• We’re Just Going to Talk: Presenting Your Case in Opening Statements and Closing Arguments

• Supporting LGBTQIA+ Suvivors and Families

• When the Child Abuser Carries a Bible – Parts 1 & 2

• Anatomical Diagrams and Dolls: Guidelines for their Usage in Forensic Interviews & Courts of Law

• MDT Response to Technology Facilitated Crimes

• Duck, Duck, Grey Duck: Conducting Suspect Lineup Identifications with Children

Available to Everyone!

The 2021 Zero Abuse Project Summit is fully VIRTUAL and accessible to all front-line child abuse professionals no matter where you are located. Morning sessions will be repeated in the evening to allow those in Pacific, Alaskan, and Hawaiian time zones to participate more fully.

Featured Speakers & Presenters

Victor Vieth

Victor Vieth

Chief Program Officer, Education & Research

Rita Farrell

Director, ChildFirst®

Robert Peters, Esq.

Senior Attorney

Rachel Johnson

Forensic Interview Specialist

Agenda

Date & Time (CT)

Presenters

Topic

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2021

8:30-10:00am

Rita Farrell and Pete Singer

Presenting Evidence in the Forensic Interview

Presenting Evidence in the
Forensic Interview

Presenting Evidence in the Forensic Interview

Description

The number of child sexual abuse images on-line (CSAIO) has increased dramatically. This has escalated with COVID-19. Beyond the amount, the nature of content is more overtly assaultive and sadomasochistic. When child sexual abuse (CSA) is discovered, a child forensic interview typically follows. Protocols provide structure and guidelines, and they are starting to more directly address the use of images from CSAIO when interviewing children. The images may be harmful to the child, but they provide corroborating evidence and supposed assistance in identifying other victims. This presentation will discuss the effectiveness in doubt, many elements of uncertainty, and factors that indicate risk, and the use of images during child forensic interviews.

Learning Objectives

1. Review the background of child sexual abuse images online

2. Explore child, system, and trauma informed practice related considerations for use of images during child forensic interviews

3. Identify next steps in strengthening guidelines for the use of images during child forensic interviews

10:10-11:40am

Victor Vieth

We’re Just Going to Talk: Presenting Your Case in Opening Statements and Closing Arguments

11:50-12:50pm

More information coming soon

Brown Bag Brunch Break – Conversations with Faculty

1:50-2:30pm

Rachel Johnson

Supporting LGBTQIA+ Survivors and Families

2:00-4:10pm

Robert Peters

When the Child Abuser Carries a Bible (Part 1)
When the Child Abuser Carries a Bible (Part 1)

When the Child Abuser Carries a Bible (Part 1)

Description

In many cases of child sexual and physical abuse, perpetrators use religious or spiritual themes to justify their abuse of a child. Although no known religion in modern culture suggests that sexual abuse is condoned or taught as part of its tenets, some church leaders engage in conduct suggesting the child is equally, if not more to blame than the perpetrator, while also urging immediate reconciliation between the perpetrator and victim. This workshop, presented by a former prosecutor, provides best practices and practical tips to effectively serve victims of abuse perpetrated in the context of a faith community. Topics include the general dynamics of secrecy in particular religious settings; distortion of faith issues to manipulate victims; spiritual blocks to disclosure or compliance with investigations (and their implications for forensic interviews); exploitation of authority; special investigative considerations; and effective strategies for MDTs to navigate the convergence of faith and abuse. Part 1 focuses on relevant dynamics and their challenges to MDTs, while Part 2 focuses on engaging faith communities, and the potential of faith community and MDT partnerships.

Learning Objectives

1)Articulate perpetrator distortion of faith issues to manipulate victims and communities.

2)Describe spiritual blocks and their implications for conducting forensic interviews and building rapport with child sexual abuse survivors.

3) List potential sources of corroborative evidence in faith-related child abuse investigations.

4) Apply strategies to collaboratively and proactively engage faith communities.

4:30-6:00pm

Rita Farrell and Pete Singer

Presenting Evidence in the Forensic Interview

Presenting Evidence in the
Forensic Interview

Presenting Evidence in the Forensic Interview

Description

This training contains considerations for how multidisciplinary teams can evaluate when and how evidentiary material could or should be introduced into a forensic interview. Topics covered include historical perspectives, types of evidence, a framework for team discussion and practical guidance on the use of external evidence in the forensic interview.

Learning Objectives

1)Assist multidisciplinary teams in making thoughtful and informed decisions around introducing evidence in forensic interviews.

2)Promote an understanding of the scope and purpose of introducing evidence in forensic interviews.

3)Provide sample language and guidance for the use of evidence in forensic interview practice.

6:10-7:40pm

Victor Vieth

We’re Just Going to Talk: Presenting Your Case in Opening Statements and Closing Arguments

We're Just Going to Talk:
Presenting Your Case in Opening
Statements and Closing
Arguments

We're Just Going to Talk: Presenting Your Case in Opening Statements and Closing Arguments

Description

The outcome of many child abuse cases depends on the ability of the prosecutor to argue the facts to the jury. In this workshop prosecutors and child protection attorneys will learn the art and science of effective strategies and themes for opening statements and closing arguments in child abuse cases.Students will learn a theme for presenting their case. They will learn specific arguments to persuade a jury that a child is telling the truth. They will learn to debunk common defenses in child abuse cases.

Learning Objectives

1) Attendees will learn to develop a theme for their presentations to the jury.

2). Attendees will learn a set of arguments that can be advanced in nearly every child abuse case.

3). Attendees will learn common defense arguments and clear strategies for responding to them.

7:50-9:20pm

Rachel Johnson

Supporting LGBTQIA+ Survivors and Families

9:30-11:00pm

Robert Peters

When the Child Abuser Carries a Bible (Part 2)

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021

8:30-10:00am

Victor Vieth and Rita Farrell

Anatomical Diagrams and Dolls: Guidelines for their Usage in Forensic Interviews & Courts of Law

10:10-11:40am

Robert Peters

MDT Response to Technology Facilitated Crimes

MDT Response to Technology
Facilitated Crimes

MDT Response to Technology Facilitated Crimes

Description

Escalating technological integration in everyday life has been accompanied by an exponential increase in technology-facilitated child abuse. Diverse online platforms are now utilized for exploitive purposes, the quantity of child sexual abuse material in existence has skyrocketed, and offender anonymization strategies continue to increase in sophistication. This presentation will review literature and practitioner insights into the increasing scope and severity of child sexual abuse material. It will then describe hands-on offender grooming strategies and their analogues in the digital age; survivor perspectives on the impact of child sexual abuse material distribution; and finally, emerging issues and trends in this field, including sextortion, live streaming, gaming platforms, the dark web and other anonymization methods, virtual reality, remote cloud storage, and encryption. The presentation will conclude with recommendations in combatting technology-facilitated child abuse.

Learning Objectives

1)Articulate hands-on offender grooming strategies and their analogues in digital environments.

2)List emerging trends in technology facilitated crimes against children.

3)Describe literature and practitioner insight into the increasing scope and severity of child sexual abuse material.

11:50-12:50pm

More information coming soon

Brown Bag Brunch Break – Conversations with Faculty
1:00-2:30pm
Amy Russell

Duck, Duck, Grey Duck: Conducting Suspect Lineup Identifications with Children

Duck, Duck, Grey Duck:
Conducting Suspect Lineup
Identifications with Children

Duck, Duck, Grey Duck: Conducting Suspect Lineup Identifications with Children

Description

Children experience exploitation and witness violence, and may be asked to identify unknown alleged suspects; however, children may fail to correctly identify a subject for multiple reasons.  This presentation will review the research on child eyewitness lineup identifications; identify issues that may lead incorrect identifications; and discuss techniques to improve children’s eyewitness lineup accuracy. 

Learning Objectives

1) Understand the research on child eyewitness identifications;

2) Identify memory and trauma issues that may lead children to incorrectly identify a suspect;

3)Discuss techniques to improve children’s eyewitness accuracy in suspect lineups

2:40-4:10pm

Panelists coming soon

Panel Discussion: The Color of Child Protection: Racial Bias and the MDT
4:30-6:00pm

Victor Vieth and Rita Farrell

Anatomical Diagrams and Dolls: Guidelines for their Usage in Forensic Interviews & Courts of Law

Anatomical Diagrams and Dolls:
Guidelines for their Usage in
Forensic Interviews & Courts of
Law

Anatomical Diagrams and Dolls: Guidelines for their Usage in Forensic Interviews & Courts of Law

Description

In this workshop, attendees receive an overview of the research on dolls and diagrams, guidelines for using these tools appropriately, and practical tips for defending their usage in court.

Learning Objectives

1) Attendees will receive an overview of the research on anatomical diagrams and dolls 2) Attendees will receive concrete guidelines for using anatomical diagrams and dolls in a forensic interview 3) Attendees will receive concrete guidelines for defending diagrams and dolls in court
6:10-7:40pm

Robert Peters

MDT Response to Technology Facilitated Crimes

MDT Response to Technology
Facilitated Crimes

MDT Response to Technology Facilitated Crimes

Description

Escalating technological integration in everyday life has been accompanied by an exponential increase in technology-facilitated child abuse. Diverse online platforms are now utilized for exploitive purposes, the quantity of child sexual abuse material in existence has skyrocketed, and offender anonymization strategies continue to increase in sophistication. This presentation will review literature and practitioner insights into the increasing scope and severity of child sexual abuse material. It will then describe hands-on offender grooming strategies and their analogues in the digital age; survivor perspectives on the impact of child sexual abuse material distribution; and finally, emerging issues and trends in this field, including sextortion, live streaming, gaming platforms, the dark web and other anonymization methods, virtual reality, remote cloud storage, and encryption. The presentation will conclude with recommendations in combatting technology-facilitated child abuse.

Learning Objectives

1) 1)Articulate hands-on offender grooming strategies and their analogues in digital environments. 2)List emerging trends in technology facilitated crimes against children. 3)Describe literature and practitioner insight into the increasing scope and severity of child sexual abuse material.

More information

Summit Details

Cancellation policy:

We offer a refund minus a $25 administrative fee for each cancelled registration. We do not offer refunds if you fail to notify us prior to the conference you can’t attend. Zero Abuse Project must be notified 1 full business day before the start of the Summit to qualify for a refund or transfer (by June 21, 2021).

Transfers: 

Registrations can be transferred to a different attendee for a $25 administrative fee.

Disclaimer:

Zero Abuse Project reserves the right to cancel or postpone this seminar if minimum registration requirements are not met or as a result of Force Majeure. Zero Abuse Project will make all attempts to notify registrants of cancellation or postponement at the earliest opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you offering CEUs or CLE credits?

Zero Abuse Project will apply for ABA Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credits in your state for an additional $20 administrative fee that is added to the cost of registration. There are 13.5 hours of instruction and credits hours will be determined by individual states and individual attendance. 

We ask that attendees from Indiana and Kentucky register at least 30 days in advance and that attendees from Texas and Washington register at least 15 days in advance.

CEUs are not offered through Zero Abuse Project. Participants seeking CEUs may apply individually with their own states. Generally, you will be required to present the conference agenda, speaker bios, and your participation certificate.

How many credit hours does the Summit offer?

Over the course of 2 days, there is the option to attend up to 9 sessions for a total of 13.5 hours of instruction.

How do I obtain my certificate of completion?

Certificates of completion will be emailed to all qualified registered participants two-three weeks following the summit for those who have submitted their evaluations online.

What time zone will the Summit be conducted in?

United State Central Daylight Time (CDT). Please consult the agenda for the schedule of when presentations will be repeated. All presentations will be conducted live.

Will the Summit presentations be recorded for later viewing?

No. All presentations will be conducted live. Note that morning presentations will be repeated later in the day to accommodate western time zones and busy schedules.

Is there a group discount?

Yes! Organizations registering 10 or more participants at one time receive a 10% discount. Note that cancellations will not be accepted for discounted group registrations.

Is there an option to register for only one day of the Summit?

No. By repeating many sessions in the evening, Zero Abuse Project is striving to make this Summit accessible to more time zones and schedules.

Still Have Questions?

Our team is standing by to support you. Please contact [email protected] with questions not addressed in the FAQ or for more information. 

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn from this distinguished panel of thought leaders and professional educators!

REGISTER NOW

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Zero Abuse Project is a 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to the elimination of child sexual abuse. Our programs are designed to provide training and education to professionals and students, and to help transform institutions to effectively prevent, recognize and respond to child sexual abuse.

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