When Should Clergy Report Child Abuse?

From California to New England, and the places in between, reports of child abuse have plummeted since the coronavirus arrived. Experts do not believe the frequency of child abuse has gone down. Instead, they conclude that child abuse is going unnoticed and unreported because social distancing has separated children from the teachers, school nurses, coaches, and other nonfamily members who could observe and report signs of abuse. Because young children are not able to speak up for themselves in abusive situations, they must rely on others to speak for them.