Volunteers at the Glade Church Trained to Recognize, Respond to Abuse

Lebanon Democrat
November 1, 2016

http://www.lebanondemocrat.com/Law-Enforcement/2016/10/31/Volunteers-at-The-Glade-Church-trained-to-recognize-respond-to-abuse.html?ci=stream&lp=9&p=1

The 15th Judicial District Child Advocacy Center’s facilitator Amanda Dardy trained 93 volunteers with The Glade Church to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse using Darkness to Light’s award-winning Stewards of Children program.

It was a pleasure to work with these dedicated adults who are very vested in the safety of the children in their church and community, Nancy Willis, executive director of the CAC, said.

Stewards of Children focuses on adult education because ultimately, it is adults’ responsibility to keep children safe.

This training approaches the difficult topic of child sexual abuse in a way that is empowering, not fear-focused or depressing. It uses a practical, five-step approach to prevention and response that enables adults to protect the children in their lives and youth-serving organizations.

Statistics for child sexual abuse are startling. In the United States alone, one in 10 children will be sexually abused before the age of 18, making this likely the most prevalent health problem children face, with the most serious array of consequences.

In more than 90 percent of incidents, children are abused by someone they know, but at the Glade Church, adults were trained to create environments that reduce the risk for abuse and allow children to learn, play and worship in safety. For every adult trained in Stewards of Children, ten children are better protected.

“Congratulations to The Glade Church for better protecting 930 children,” Willis said.

For information about scheduling a training of Stewards of Children, contact Nancy Willis, executive director of the 15th Judicial District Child Advocacy Center, at 615-449-7975 or at director@cac15.org.