Many times, a child isn't sure how to explain abuse.

"They're going to try to test the waters," said April Leming, executive director of The Bridge in Amarillo.

Usually, the conversation will start by asking what they should do if something similar had happened to a friend.

If a parent doesn't seem interested, the child usually won't tell and it's a lost opportunity, Leming said.

Before The Bridge opened 20 years ago, children and their families would go to multiple locations to report a harrowing tale of sexual abuse. Today, the process is much different. Children living in the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle only have one place to go to get a sexual assault exam and to talk with investigators.

The 1,800 children who are seen annually by the nonprofit - it also has locations in Pampa and Hereford, as well as a portable unit that can be can set up in other towns - all are referred by law enforcement after a meeting with the parent or person who reported the abuse.

"A lot of times, people have the perception of when they tell, a child's going to be raked across the coals," Leming said.

When a child arrives, he or she waits in the lobby while the parent or family member who has brought the child to the agency is briefed and offered referrals to counseling.

The child then is brought into an interview room to talk with a forensic interviewer, who points to a camera hidden inside a picture that will record every word. It helps the investigator watching in the next room and ensures a child won't have to tell their story multiple times. The parent or guardian never knows what's being said.

An interview with a child lasts an average of 30 minutes, though for younger children it can be shorter. Leming recalls one instance where a young boy wanted to demonstrate his strength during the interview by lifting a chair. Another child wanted to play with the lights.

The interview usually starts with a discussion about hobbies and school. The discussion evolves into whether a child knows the concept of telling the truth. Then the topic turns to more serious matters: Why are they being questioned? The hope is that it will trigger details investigators need.

In the vast majority of cases, the interview at The Bridge is a one-shot deal. Children won't be asked to come back unless they've been victimized again and are exposed to a different perpetrator. Some children, Leming said, have been back as many as six times.

In many cases, children are fearful of talking. Some have been threatened by their molester, Leming said. It's not necessarily death threats. In some cases, the molester threatens their stability.

"If you tell somebody, your mom and dad are going to be really mad at me," Leming said some children are told. "Your mommy will be sad."

"Kids will do a lot to protect parents," she said.

Police then will take the information from an interview and try to confirm it through interviews, physical evidence and confessions.

"More often than not, the children are telling the truth," Amarillo police Lt. Martin Birkenfeld said.

Even if an investigator strongly believes the child is telling the truth, if there's not enough evidence, then charges won't be filed, he said.

"Those are the heart-breaking cases."