A New Initiative, A Renewed Mission: Expanding the Fight for Judicial Accountability in Child Abuse Reporting

At ReportChildAbuses.com, we’ve never stopped fighting for the safety of Washington’s children. Now, we’re proud to announce a new public initiative—drafted by our advocacy team—to strengthen mandatory reporting laws and close dangerous loopholes in family court proceedings. This new proposal builds on our original campaign and reflects the growing momentum behind our call for change.

What’s in the New Initiative?

The new initiative begins with a powerful declaration: child abuse allegations made during judicial proceedings—especially in family law cases—are routinely ignored, unreported, and uninvestigated. This failure violates Washington’s statutory duty to protect children and undermines the credibility of mandatory reporting laws.

The initiative proposes the following reforms:

• Clarify that judicial officers are mandatory reporters under RCW 26.44.030

• Require timely reporting of child abuse allegations made in court

• Establish consequences for failure to report, including referral to the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct

• Reinforce CPS’s duty to investigate all reported allegations

• Promote transparency and accountability in family court proceedings

  
  

These provisions are designed to address the exact failures we’ve documented—particularly in King County, where judicial officers have issued contradictory rulings about CPS involvement, and where no investigation occurred despite clear allegations of abuse.

Why This New Initiative Matters

This is not a legislative bill introduced by lawmakers—it’s a citizen-led initiative, created by the same team behind ReportChildAbuses.com. It reflects our continued commitment to systemic reform and our refusal to wait for political institutions to act.

Our initiative ensures that:

• Judicial officers are held to the same standards as teachers, doctors, and social workers

• CPS investigations cannot be blocked or ignored by court discretion

• The public has a direct path to demand accountability and protect children

  
  

Case Spotlight: The King County Breakdown

In Superior Court Case No. 16-3-06380-6, Judge Janet Helson ruled that CPS did not need to investigate child abuse allegations—despite no CPS presence, no advocate for the child, and no investigation. The Office of the Family and Children’s Ombuds confirmed that no report had been made, and CPS had no authority to act. The Attorney General’s Office refused to intervene, leaving the child unprotected and the court unaccountable.

This case is not an isolated incident—it’s a warning sign. Unless judges are explicitly required to report abuse and face consequences for failing to do so, children will continue to be harmed by judicial inaction.

What You Can Do Right Now

We need your help to gather signatures, raise awareness, and ensure this initiative reaches the November 2025 ballot. Here’s how you can take action:

• Sign the petition at ReportChildAbuses.com

• Share our campaign on social media and with your community

• Contact your legislators and urge them to support judicial accountability

• Demand that judges be held accountable when they fail to protect children

Final Thoughts

This new initiative is a bold step forward—crafted by citizens, for children. It’s a direct response to the failures we’ve witnessed in Washington’s family courts, and it’s a blueprint for real accountability. With your support, we can make 2025 the year we finally close the loophole—and ensure that no child is left unprotected in a courtroom.

Let’s finish what we started. Let’s make justice mandatory.