PEORIA, Ill. – April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. And, preventing that abuse, whether sexual or otherwise, is part of the mission of Peoria’s Center for Prevention of Abuse.
“January through the end of March, we saw 106 children for sexual abuse, sexual assault, or domestic violence therapy in our therapy department. And, that’s a tragic number, but I like to put a positive spin on it…I’m delighted that we’re seeing these kids,” Merna says.
Merna says that’s because seeing them means that those kids are getting help.
The Center for Prevention of Abuse has counselors that go into all of the Tri-County schools, and offers programs to help kids and their families in difficult situations…including a new program called “Gather and Grow”.
“Our prevention education is age appropriate, evidence based, comprehensive and it can really make a difference for children learning about empathy, and what they can do…the little tool box they need to keep their bodies safe,” Merna says.
One of the Center for Prevention of Abuse’s newest programs is helping those who’ve been swept into human trafficking, which unfortunately includes children.
“We want people to understand what human trafficking looks like and what they can do to stop it. But, I think one of the most compelling statistics to do with human trafficking, is that one in four victims are children,” Merna says.
Through their human trafficking program, the Center for Prevention of Abuse has assisted victims from all over the state, in 46 counties.
“Our youngest client for human trafficking was 8-years-old, and she was trafficked by her aunt. That was sex trafficking, and that’s something called familial trafficking, or trafficking through the family,” Merna says.
To learn more about the signs of all kinds of child abuse, or how you can help stop it, click HERE.
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