If you suspect a child is being abused, contact the New Jersey Department of Children and Families hotline at 1-877-NJ-ABUSE (652-2873) or 1-800-835-5510 (TTY/TDD). To learn more about indicators of child abuse Click here.

Discovering Abuse

If you discover child abuse, or if a child tells you that he/she has been touched inappropriately, report the information to the police immediately.

When your case is referred to our office, it will be reviewed by members of the Special Victims’ Unit located at Wynona’s House, Essex County’s designated child advocacy center located at 185 Washington Street in Newark. Wynona’s House provides a myriad of services to children who may have been victims of abuse. The child advocacy center includes under one roof the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, child protective service caseworkers, juvenile trauma therapists, forensic pediatricians and multi-disciplinary coordinators.

The Special Victims Unit diligently pursues the arrest, indictment and conviction of those responsible for crimes against children. Victims and their family members also receive a wide range of services to coordinate care as the case moves through the criminal justice process. The Special Victims Unit maintains a 24-hour on-call service for all county municipal detectives and New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) caseworkers.