Life Crisis Center raises awareness as April marks Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Month

April marks Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month.

In 2016, over 700 cases were investigated by Child Protective Services and of those, 85 were sex abuse cases. This year so far, there have already been 80.

One local organization is hoping to raise awareness on this issue locally.

Salisbury's Life Crisis Center says they are hoping to raise awareness in order to have every child protected.

Life Crisis Center, known as LCC, is hoping to take matters into their own hands by placing these pinwheels throughout the city.

The pinwheels mean innocence, as each pinwheel signifies an abused child.

Their Executive Director, Michele Hughes, explains that those causing the abuse tend to be very persuasive, as sexual predators are normally very manipulative people. They can persuade you that what's going on is just normal.

"Children need to understand from a very early age that their body is theirs and if they are uncomfortable with someone is doing, then they need to tell an adult they trust," Hughes says.

If a child happens to disclose information like this, Hughes has advice for parents. She say it is important that the parent support the child. It's also important that the child is made to feel not guilty by their non-offending parent.

Major changes in a child's behavior suddenly should be a sign to look out for.

It varies by age, but one thing is common, traumatic stress is happening.

If there are sharp changes in a child's behavior, Life Crisis says a parent or teacher should pay closer attention. 

LCC has many resources, such as a therapist to teach abuse victims how to cope.

Their Clinical Director, Donna Leffew, tells us that many people wait to tell, but the longer you wait, the more the burden will weigh on you.

There are many reasons why people keep it in and keep a secret.

"Maybe because they were told it was their fault because they feel like there is some shame or embarrassment involved with it or they just want to forget about it and they think if they don't think about it, that it will go way."

After helping victims break the silence and seek treatment, Leffew says it is rewarding to help many towards a happy adult life.

Life Crisis tells us there is a new national law called Erin's Law. The law was ratified last year in the state of Maryland and schools will teach developmentally appropriate facts about child sexual abuse.

For local efforts, Life Crisis Center has hosted several events to raise funds and their last event, the Color Run will take place April 30, 2017.

Their biggest effort though is to raise awareness in order break the cycle of child sexual abuse.