Anyone can report suspected child abuse or neglect, but if you are identified in the Code of Virginia (§ 63.2-1509) as a mandated reporter or you have received training in recognizing and reporting suspected child abuse and neglect – then you are a mandated reporter. Over the summer, we have trained mandated reporters everywhere from summer camps to childcare […]
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A new report from the Human Rights Projects for Girls and Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality calls for an overhaul of the U.S. criminal justice system “to identify and treat sexual abuse trauma that lies at the root of victimized girls’ arrests, particularly girls of color.” This summer, we’ve trained HUNDREDS of adults […]
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When you hear about child sexual abuse, many thoughts might go through your mind: “They should go to jail.” “Parents should keep a closer eye on their children.” “Who would do that to a child?” These statements distance us further from what has happened. These thoughts make it easier to dismiss the sexual abuse because […]
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Last week, our national partner Darkness to Light posted a guest blog by Svava Brooks, a child sexual abuse survivor and prevention advocate. We’re sharing it here today because it paints an excellent picture of how simple, necessary and courageous it can be to protect the children in our families and communities when we notice something that […]
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This excellent post was shared most recently on the Darkness to Light blog (as well as Momastery’s Facebook page and originally appearing here), and it’s one that needs to be shared as many other places and with as many other people as possible: My beautiful cousin, who I’d not seen in 35 years, and I […]
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The recently released film ’50 Shades of Gray’ is dominating the box office, but discussion around the storyline — including sex, abuse and relationships — is also filling the radio airwaves, morning talk shows and social media. Your kids are certainly hearing about it, which means it’s time for parents to decide how to react. […]
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Last year more than a quarter million children were involved in human trafficking across the United States. And it can happen to any child in any community. There are risk groups (such as children with mental health issues, gang involvement and runaways) but local experts have seen cases with children of all ages, genders and socioeconomic […]
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Earlier this fall, 8 of our Darkness to Light Facilitators gathered for a discussion with Lisa Hunt, Executive Director of The Center for Clinical and Forensic Services, Inc. Our facilitators gather quarterly to keep up to date on the issues surrounding child sexual abuse and to discuss topics that will help us be effective facilitators […]
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WORDS (noun) /wərd / ~ a unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds or their written representation, that functions as a principal carrier of meaning After watching the Matthew Sandusky and Oprah Winfrey interview (you can watch some of it here, along with thoughts from the D2L blog), it is clear that one […]
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Many of us will roll our eyes or comment on how hard it was when we were teenagers, but can you fathom being a teenager now? In an age where there are little to no expectations of privacy, where your personal information is readily available, and where the things you say or do can be […]
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On December 16, 2011, SCAN held its first Darkness to Light Stewards of Children Training. Since that time, we have had thirty-four trainings. On Saturday June 1, we held our largest training yet, training 63 members of the Open Door Presbyterian Church in Herndon. Statistics told church members that children within their own congregation were […]
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