Providence Abuse Intervention Center
Providence Abuse Intervention Center
Are you concerned about possible child maltreatment? Child maltreatment includes all types of abuse and neglect of a child under the age of 18 by a parent, caregiver or another person in a custodial role (such as clergy, coach or a teacher).
There are four common types of abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect.
The Abuse Intervention Center is part of Providence St. Peter Hospital and Providence Behavioral Health Services in Olympia. We serve residents of Thurston, Lewis, Mason, Grays Harbor and Pacific counties.
Our physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses provide special medical evaluations for children, adolescents and adults. Social workers provide crisis counseling for the victims and families of sexual assault, physical abuse or chronic neglect.
Sexual assault nurse examiners are on call to the Providence St. Peter Hospital Emergency Center 24 hours a day to provide comfort and care, and to collect forensic evidence for sexual abuse investigations. Our clinic physicians and advanced practice nurses often serve as expert witnesses when these cases go to criminal trials.
Call your local Child Protective Services hotline or law enforcement agency if you suspect a child has been sexually abused. Victims of an assault that occurred within the last 96 hours should be seen at a hospital emergency room. Our sexual assault nurse examiners are on call to the Providence St. Peter Hospital Emergency Center.
To prepare a young person for a clinic visit:
- Talk with our social worker about the best way to explain a clinic visit to your child
- Assure your child that we see many children just like them; we understand
- Tell your child they can choose an adult to be with them during their examination
- Reassure the child that this is not a physically painful or invasive exam
- Encourage older children to talk directly with our staff about their upcoming visit