In 1985, Former Alabama Congressman Robert E. “Bud” Cramer, who was then a District Attorney, organized an effort to formulate a child- and family-focused response to the investigation and service delivery process to allegations and disclosures of child sexual abuse.
Abused children were often:
- Further traumatized as a result of repetitious interviews by many investigative authorities
- Subject to an adult-model of interrogation
- Lacked connection to medical or mental health services
A multi-disciplinary team (MDT) response was absent to assist them in their investigative and healing journey. In response to needing a better system to support child victims of sexual abuse, the first Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) was formed in 1985 in Alabama housed at the National Children Advocacy Center (nationalcac.org). Over 950 CACs exist in the United States and in more than 10 countries throughout the world.