In her recent interview on Dateline, Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney disclosed that she was abused “hundreds of times” by Team USA’s former doctor Larry Nassar. For years, her cry for help went unheard. Maroney’s story isn’t uncommon. Thousands of children across America share the anxiety, fear, and confusion that come with experiencing sexual abuse. And like her, many are left without the power to recognize or report it.
A theatre program in Virginia called Hugs and Kisses is now working harder than ever to change this. Filled with messages that inform children about sexual abuse and help them report it, the program has been empowering kids long before the #MeToo movement began.
“Using theatre and music as a teaching tool we found is especially helpful because it helps that learning process,” says Johanna Schuchert, executive director at Prevent Child Abuse Virginia, which coordinates the Hugs and Kisses program. “Prevent Child Abuse Virginia provides training on child abuse and neglect and the reporting process before each cast tour. We have a log of questions that children asked over the years, and we’ve scripted responses to those questions.” All the people involved in the process—actors, CPS workers, school staff—are trained to answer questions and offer help to children who wish to disclose their experiences.
[For more on this story by Meera Vijayann, go to http://www.yesmagazine.org/pea...f-this-play-20180516]
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