Public School District CSA Prevention Strategies?

Here's another story on child abuse/CSA prevention programs:

Child Abuse Prevention Program - New York

http://www.newschannel34.com/news/local/story/Child-Abuse-Preventio...

Chris, thank you for the link! The only thing that bothers me here is the reference to sex offenders as "pedophiles"! As Dr. Finkelhor has said, these are "nice guy offenders" -- a much smaller group are true pedophiles. Mislabeling them only helps confuse the public, who are so poorly informed on this issue in the first place.

But I do LOVE the educational approach. We have GOT to start somewhere, and keep the conversation going so as to normalize it.

Thanks again.

Just to update, my letter has been sent to our Superintendent (over a week ago). I don't expect a quick response since the issue is complex, and there's a lot of information I've included, to help update/educate. I never want to assume to know how much information anyone has when it comes to CSA! I have had teachers from our school system come up to support me. Next up, County Council members and other county officials. My thanks to everyone who sends current information on this topic. I am determined...

Brenda, Thanks for the update! Will be eager to hear the response you receive and also how your contacts with the County Councilmembers, et al. go.

I wanted to make sure you saw Jane's book review on 'Blind to Betrayal' by Dr. Jennifer Freyd.

http://acesconnection.com/profiles/blogs/two-new-books-of-note-rest...

It helps explain why we get such bad responses when we try to reach out. Freyd is amazing. You might remember her story:

"As an adult in the early 1990s, Freyd privately accused her father of abusing her during her childhood. Her parents co-founded the False Memory Syndrome Foundation to dispute Freyd's claims and the claims of others who they allege may have recovered false memories of childhood abuse in therapy.^[12]" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Freyd

At this point, it might be a good idea to start finding other people from the list that Chris provided and think about forming a county-wide coalition. Change doesn't come easily, but it comes when a group of people work together to show that this is an issue that many, many people care about. As someone told Dr. Felitti when he started out, a few hundred data points can be ignored, but tens of thousands cannot. So, in your case: one person, even if that person has a great idea, can be ignored, but hundreds or thousands cannot.  

Brenda, I'm so sorry to hear about the responses you've received. Please know you are not alone in the greater scheme of things. Running up against ignorance and indifference is sadly quite common esp. when one is trying to talk to their local government about this topic. It can be very discouraging to say the least. These are retraumatizations that no one, let alone survivors, should have to experience. I'm not sure if you've had a chance to explore any of the county contacts (see above) that are already familiar with trauma-informed care. At least they should know TIC "language." Also wondering if you've been in touch with PAVE. Again so sorry you for this outcome. But please know you are not alone.

Brenda,

Here's another organization I ran across. In Pennsylvania, but it looks like they may have some good advocacy tips.

FACSA | The Foundation to Abolish Child Sex Abuse

http://www.abolishsexabuse.org/

My update for this week: still no reply from the school superintendent. I contacted one of y County council members who sits on the Health & Safety Committee, and heard back from one of his representatives. She referred me to the county's VASP (Victim Assistance Program) for VICTIMS of CSA! That is all our county government has to offer on this issue! I am very, very upset. I've written back, and tried to get my point of "this is a public health issue and therefore the focus should be on prevention", along with giving them all kinds of resources to help educate. Do I feel like I am the only one pushing on this in my entire county? Yes. It is very discouraging, to put it midly.

Thank you for the additional resources, Chris. Yes, Jane, I am going to tap into the reservoir of TIC informed organizations here locally. Somebody else has GOT to be working towards this here locally. I wanted to point out a resource for YOU (for a change)! She is E. Diane Champe' Institute at https://www.edcinstitute.org/ She wants to open a trauma-informed CSA Survivor's clinic here in Maryland. I will attend her fundraiser next month to introduce myself. Sheis on Twitter as well. I think you woukd be a great resource for her. Thanks again for having my back. I don't feel so isolated in my community, knowing others are working towards the same goal.

Here's a petition started by CSA advocate, Erin Merryn.

Teach Children How to Stay Safe from Sexual Abuse

http://forcechange.com/61778/teach-children-how-to-stay-safe-from-sexual-abuse/

Please be sure to see this article from South Carolina:

Child Advocacy Center expanding outreach efforts

http://www.aikenstandard.com/article/20130316/AIK0101/130319687/1004/child-advocacy-center-expanding-outreach-efforts

 

Brenda, Thanks for that resource! I have heard of her before but did not know about her new project. Sounds great!

Thanks, Brenda. I'll contact her.

Hello & time for a "progress" report! I was slowed by a week of spring break vacation, however, I am heartened at some good news for a change: After exchanging MANY emails with one of our Mongtomery County Council Members (Phil Andrews), I am happy to report that he and his staff are now paying attention to the issues of CSA prevention (my request to enact county legislation to require county-run youth-serving organizations to show policies/procedures/guidelines which protect children from potential predators, etc)! This was not easy, as they first told me all about the county's victim assistance program (which does nothing to provide prevention). Also, while I was out of town, our school district leadership left me a voice mail in response to my letter to our school district Superintendent of schools! Seems they would like to talk about my "very important letter and issues". Dare I hope!?! I will attend the Moore Center for the Prevention of CSA's Second Symposium on CSA (at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) on April 26th in Baltimore. Would love to meet any ACE members who plan to attend. I will also attend the E. Diane Champe' Institute's Fundraiser in Olney, MD. She hopes to open a CSA Survivor's Clinic across the US. s. Champe' and I will have lunch on Friday to talk about our State/County's inactions and poor response to trauma-informed care and prevention of childhood traumas. As always, I am energized by everything I hear, see, read, do on this topic. It is my passion. That's it for now. Brenda

Brenda, This is great news! Lots of contacts and reason for hope! Congratulations and please keep us posted. Thank you for all your hard work and tenacious spirit! You're amazing!

Today's update starts off with continued progress in reaching my local school district's leadership with prevention of childhood traumas in mind. I have now spoken with two school officials. They both expressed a desire to get together in person. Today's phone conversation ended with the idea that we will start that conversation in person next month (May). Of course, I am excited, but my excitement is tempered with a feeling that this process should be a priority. That is, I know, how *I* feel, and not necessarily how a school district stretched to the limits in terms of resources and personnel (not to mention budget) feels.

The CSA as a Public Health Issue Conference, originally scheduled for April 26th at the JHSPH's Moore Center has been cancelled. I am looking for another conference to attend this calendar year. If you know of a CSA Public Health Approach conference coming up, let me know. I am looking.

Tomorrow I will attend the E. Diane Champe' Institues' Fundraiser in Olney, MD. Looking forward to that. I am now serving on EDCI's Board of Directors.

My family will attend The Tree House's Tour de Cookie fundraiser at Montgomery College on Sunday. I am going to meet like-minded people who support the CSA issues. My husband and kids will do the bike tour. Should be fun.

Lastly, I watched the "Building Safer Communities" webinar this week and was very impressed and informed by all the good work of the ACEs community and medical leadership who are striving to improve outcomes for children and families. Great program (which I believes archived to watch online).

Brenda, Thanks so much for the update! Sounds like great progress with your local school district leadership! Wonderful news! Will look forward to hearing how it goes.

 

You're so active with all these other event/programs you are involved with. Seems like you will gain opportunities for more networking. Glad to hear you are on Diane's board. She's so amazing!

 

Always love hearing your news as you are so assertive and active in all opportunities that cross your path.

 

Great work!

That's fantastic that you're meeting with them, Brenda. Keep in mind it's a public school system -- its activities are supposed to be transparent, so a confidentiality agreement isn't necessary. 

One thing you might ask about is if the school is intending to become trauma-informed. There are other school systems that are doing so, and they address the many types of childhood adversity in many different ways. I hope that you can impress upon them that focusing on CSA alone misses all the other complex trauma that's occurring, either along with the CSA or independent from it. A child with an ACE score of 4 is likely to have many more issues in school than a child with an ACE score of 1, no matter what the ACE is. 

Jane, I am thinking they might require the confidentiality agreement before discussing anything pertaining to current employees or student population. I understand that completely. I hope we are headed in a trauma-informed direction, and that we will take on ALL exposure to childhood traumas, since they are so heavily linked. But I will let you know what happens.

Brenda, Thanks so much for the update! It's amazing how much you get done. I'll be eager to hear how May23rd goes. If you need help w/ any resources just ask. Again, amazing work, Brenda!

Long time since I last updated on my prevention efforts in Montgomery County, MD!

My local public school system has setup a May 23rd appointment with me to talk about becoming more proactive/prevention minded in our schools. It's sad that the wait is so LONG just to get the discussion started, and I hope to get to some agreement so we can move forward on this project collaboratively. There may be some restrictions placed on me as to what I can share after that meeting (confidentiality agreements, etc.). We'll see. But there's so much to do here in this county.

I attended EDCI's fundraiser and got a chance to meet with a rep from Chris Van Hollen's office on the prevention/childhood trauma/ACEs front. I also spoke with John McCarthy, Montgomery County's State Attorney General about the need for more prevention-minded laws, which should require youth-serving organizations to show their prevention strategies/practices/policies. He seemed a bit shocked at the idea, but then I reminded him how laws have worked to prevent smoking-related harm to our communities (same would old true for CSA and other hidden violence/trauma).

Hopefully there's more opportunity to meet w/other community leadership in the near future. But my May 23rd meeting with the school looms large in my mind. That would be a huge start to educate, empower, change adult minds when it comes to prevention.