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PHOTO / METRO CREATIVE
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Joy Chuba, the director of the Children’s Advocacy Center for Osceola County, says that keeping an open line of communication is key.
“We tell our children to look both ways before they cross the street, but we don’t just tell them one time and assume they got it. We keep telling them,” she said. “And when we talk to kids about ways to protect themselves from abuse, that isn’t a one-time discussion. We need to keep telling them those things, too.”
The CAC, a program part of RISE Community Solutions, is one of more than 800 centers nationwide that works to reduce trauma and promote healing for child abuse victims and their families. When children have been abused, Chuba said, it is important to reduce the number of times they must tell their story in an effort to reduce the amount of trauma they experience. The CAC partners with law enforcement, medical personnel, prosecution, child protective services, mental health counselors, and victim advocates all at one location so the child doesn’t have to recount experiences over and over. Their location is designed to be safe, comfortable, and child-friendly, with colorful wall art and video games and books for the children.
Chuba says whether it’s talking with your children about having healthy boundaries, identifying trusted adults they can turn to, or teaching them to leave a situation that makes them uncomfortable, the important thing is to keep talking with them.
“Teach your child to say, ‘I need to check with my parents first,’ if they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation,” she said. Just speaking up and not complying can cause the offender think twice. Offenders will often look for an easier target if they realize this child isn’t easy to victimize,” Chuba said.
And, if your child tells you someone has touched them or is making them uncomfortable, believe them.
“Children don’t tend to make up abuse that didn’t happen,” Chuba said. “They’re much more likely to say that something did not happen when it actually did. So, it is imperative that parents listen and act if their child reports abuse.”
Local mom Annette did just that when her daughter told her she had been molested.
“She was around 10 or 11 when I found out that she was being molested by my ex-boyfriend, and of course immediately when I found out, I called the police,” she said.
Though Annette had taught her daughter that she should tell her if anyone ever touched her inappropriately, her daughter didn’t tell right away because the molester had threatened her, and she was scared. Annette knew the signs to look for, though, and she followed her instincts when she felt something wasn’t right. She kept talking with her daughter and asked her to tell the truth. And she eventually did. After they spoke with law enforcement, Annette and her daughter were referred to the CAC.
“They were very caring, very patient,” she said. “My experience with them was very, very good. They helped her a lot. They helped me a lot. Even though that’s a scar in your life that will never go away, they made it a lot easier to deal with.”
The CAC provided counseling for both Annette and her daughter and walked with them through the healing process.
“That treatment from the CAC and that extra mile that they go gives the kids empowerment and helps them not be afraid to keep moving forward,” Annette said. “If it wasn’t for the CAC, I wouldn’t have known what to do.
I owe them more than I can say. My daughter is doing better than I ever expected she would do.”
To report child abuse, call 800-962-2873.
