Kellyanne Conway and The Problem with CPS

How can we effectively reform CPS, an agency that is complicit in child abuse and endangerment?

Trigger Warning (child abuse and CPS negligence)

Cholla Cactus with many thorns against a clear blue sky

Last night, Kellyanne Conway posted nude photos of her daughter on Twitter. Less than a week ago, the night before Biden and Harris’s inauguration, Twitter was outraged by leaked videos of Kellyanne Conway threatening her daughter with: “You’re lucky your mom’s pro-life!” Tweets that CPS needed to be called popped up across the timeline. Many people who barely survived their own abusive parents gently replied, explaining that it is naive to think that CPS (Child Protective Services) will investigate a powerful, wealthy white mother. Poor, Black and Brown families have their children taken away for far less.

In November, CPS placed my niece with my dad who trafficked me in the 90s. They told me that they need to investigate. It has been two months. January is supposed to be Human Trafficking Awareness Month, but the growing thrum of ill-informed QAnon hysteria illustrates how much we need pragmatic CPS reform more than viral awareness campaigns. What good is building awareness of human trafficking if we can’t trust CPS to do their only job?