"Experts estimate that one in 10 children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday," stated Child Advocacy Center director Sharon De Boer. "This means in your child's school classroom of 20 students, two of those children are child sexual abuse victims."
The Child Advocacy Center works as a team with Department of Children's Services, law enforcement, and the District Attorney's Office to respond to child sexual abuse cases. "In 2012, the Child Advocacy Center wanted to do more than respond to cases," continued De Boer. "We wanted to prevent kids from being sexually abused."
In 2012, Darkness to Light was a new nationwide initiative designed to teach adults how to protect children from child sexual abuse and what to do if a child discloses abuse to them. This training was adopted by Child Advocacy Centers in Tennessee and across the nation. The first adults that were trained in Rutherford County were the Murfreesboro City School principals, teachers, guidance counselors, and teacher's aides.
"Murfreesboro City Schools is a unique system in that we are committed to the whole child—that means not just the academic part of the child, but also the physical, social, and emotional parts," said Murfreesboro City Schools Director Dr. Linda Arms Gilbert. "Child sexual abuse impacts every part of the whole child. Therefore, our school district fully supports the efforts of the Child Advocacy Center in both healing those who have been victims, but also in preventing victimization."
According to Darkness to Light in 2015, school personnel identify 52% of all identified child abuse cases, which is more than any other profession or organization including child protective service agencies and law enforcement. "This is why it is imperative to train school teachers, principals, guidance counselors, nurses, social workers, and coaches how to recognize, respond, and effectively report child abuse," said Child Advocacy Center Community Education Coordinator Brittnie Noble.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic children and youth are not in school, continued Noble. "The Child Advocacy Center feels like it is important that we train the community about child sexual abuse and how to report suspicions of abuse."
The Darkness to Light training curriculum outlines 5 Steps to Protecting Children from Child Sexual Abuse. Step 1 is to Learn the Facts. Here are the facts:
According to the Crimes Against Children Research Center:
• 60 percent of children who are sexually abused are abused by people the family trusts
• 40 percent of children are sexually abused by older or more powerful children
• 35 percent of child sexual abuse victims are 11 years old or younger
• 30 percent of children are sexually abused by family members
• 10 percent or less of children are sexually abused by a stranger.
The U.S. Department of Justice reports:
• Children and youth were the victims in 66 percent of all sexual offenses reported to law enforcement.
• Children and youth are 2.5 times more likely to be raped than adults.
• Seventy-five percent of child pornography victims are living at home when they are photographed.
Dr. Gilbert concluded, "We are very proud that teachers and school personnel are the number one reporters of child sexual abuse. However, with schools out because of COVID-19, we are asking the community to be very attentive to the children of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, and report suspicions of child abuse."
You can bring the free Darkness to Light training to your organization. The Child Advocacy Center is scheduling trainings in July, August, and September 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center is providing the training online in your home to Rutherford and Cannon County parents, grandparents and professionals.
To learn more about these training opportunities, contact Brittnie Noble at 615-867-9000 or bnoble@cacrutherford.org.
