The Advocate Newsletter – May 2019

May 28, 2019

May 2019

Welcome to The Advocate Newsletter!

This past April during our One with Courage Gala, our guest speakers shared the experience of their daughter’s abuse, of her amazing resilience, and her ability to continue to dance like no one was watching, I was reminded again of the importance of believing a child when they tell us that someone has hurt them. And how critical it is to then do something about it once we know. Every day children experience abuse, neglect, and violence- 90% of the time at the hand of someone they like, love, or live with- and they need to know that they have adults in their life who will believe them, care for them, and do whatever is necessary to keep them safe and get them the help they need to be a survivor, not a victim.

With summer vacation coming soon for the children in our community, and the possibility that they may be unsupervised, under-supervised, or with unfamiliar caregivers, now is a good time to have a conversation with your children about how to keep themselves safe and how to put safeguards in place to protect them from abuse.

Here are some additional steps you can take, and safety tips you can put in place so that your children have the fun, sun-filled, carefree summer they deserve.

Summer Safety Tips from TCC

Talk about Body Safety: Remind your children of the body safety rule, make sure your child knows who to go to if they need help or what to do if someone makes them feel uncomfortable. Make sure your children know they can tell you anything in a safe, judgement free setting.

Body Safety Rule: My body belongs to me and it is not ok for anyone to touch or look at my private body parts.

Monitor Technology: Understand and monitor your child’s use of technology. Familiarize yourself with the apps and websites your children and teens are using. Remind children that nothing on the internet is private. Make sure you know who their online friends are.

Be a Knowing Parent: If your child is participating in a community activity or attending camp, you have the right and responsibility to inquire about the camp policies. Ask about the procedures they use for screening their staff; do they have background checks, what are the policies about reporting suspicions and disclosures of child sexual abuse, what type of sexual abuse prevention training is required for staff.

Trust your Gut: All interactions your children have with other children and adults should be observable and interruptible. Often adults see indicators of abuse but disregard the signs because the possible perpetrator is someone they know and trust. If something doesn’t feel right, take action to keep your children safe.

If you are unsure of where to start or have questions about how to talk to your children about sexual abuse prevention, contact us here at The Child Center, Inc. If you suspect abuse, call the Missouri Hotline at 1-800-392-3738.

Enjoy your summer,

Elphanie “Sissy” Swift
Executive Director

The Child Center, Inc. Honors One with Courage Award Winners

The Child Center, Inc. honored their 2019 One with Courage Award winners at their annual One with Courage Gala held on April 27, 2019 at the St. Charles Convention Center.

“We are so grateful to have such compassionate and dedicated champions for our agency,” said Sissy Swift, Executive Director, “Awardees are chosen based on their commitment to our mission and the contribution of time, talent, and treasure. Each awardee has gone above and beyond to help end child abuse.”

Forever Changed

Shane & Rebecca McKelvey are supporters of The Child Center, Inc. and have been involved with the organization for years – putting children first through their commitment to our mission. Thank you for all that you do to help kids in our community!

Rebeca:
I discovered The Child Center nearly a decade ago while working as an attorney for the juvenile office, and later as a sex crime and child abuse prosecutor for St Charles County. After sitting in my first ever forensic interview I remember how moved I was by the skill of the forensic interviewer that was speaking with a resilient young victim. I witnessed the kindness and dedication of the family advocates which helped make an unbearable situation, a little more tolerable for these families in crisis. Once I interviewed a child that was actually able to stop a would-be abuser thanks to the body safety rules she had learned from a Child Center prevention specialist that had come to her school. Throughout the years I shared my experiences with my husband Shane, and he was always eager to support the mission of The Child Center. In my current position as a Juvenile Court Judge, I am so grateful that abused and neglected children in our community have the Child Center as a resource.

Shane
I had been attending The Child Center’s fundraising events for many years, but as a father of young children and as a financial services professional I was looking for a way to become more personally involved. In 2018 I decided to apply to become part of the Center’s board of directors and was accepted. The most rewarding thing about serving on the board is the ability to use my skills to help further the reach of the work of the Child Center. I love being part of an organization that is putting a spotlight on the dark topic of child abuse. Strategic planning and fundraising are keys to preserving and expanding the mission of the Child Center, which is vital to the safety and well-being of our children.

When we think of the Child Center we think of Fairness, Freedom, and Family.

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