Carol Balinski : Group Aims to Raise Awareness of Child Sexual Abuse

Reading Eagle
February 17, 2017

http://www.readingeagle.com/life/article/carol-balinski-group-aims-to-raise-awareness-of-child-sexual-abuse#.WKhiBvkgW00

Reading Eagle: Lauren A. Little | Carol Balinski, Editorial. Employee Headshot. by Lauren A. Little 4/19/2016

"Their voices cry out to God and we need to hear them."

That was the powerful message delivered by Deb Helt in a Reading Berks Conference of Churches-sponsored workshop last week about Samaritan SafeChurch, a Lancaster County group that helps congregations raise awareness about child sexual abuse.

The workshop was part of the first-ever Christian Resource Expo at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St.

Helt, a senior facilitator and congregational support specialist for Samaritan SafeChurch, said, "We want churches to be safe places for people to come."

To that end, the group wants to inspire churches to become proactive in preventing child sexual abuse in churches and the community.

Helt, who is also a pastor of Hosanna! A Fellowship of Christians in Lititz, said she first got involved with Samaritan SafeChurch after its founder, Linda Crockett, spoke to her congregation. Helt said some members of her congregation initially resisted the idea of talking about sexual abuse.