Child Abuse Prevention Coalition raises awareness

Apr. 13—April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and a new coalition is spreading the word on how the public can become involved.

Jill Duden, central region prevention specialist for Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, said they do a lot of work leading up to April and throughout the month.

"It might be pinwheel gardens around the state. It might be kickoff events. It might be extra trainings," Duden said.

She said there are lots of things going on, including extra workshops and seminars trying to raise awareness about the issue of child abuse and preaching the theme that everyone has a role to play.

"We can all do our part to, you know, kind of stem the tide and make a difference," Duden said. "To create happy, healthy childhoods (is) really what we all want."

A few months ago, the Vermilion County Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Coalition was established.

Duden facilitates the CAP Coalition which meets monthly.

The coalition provides updates with local agencies who serve children and families, shares resources and works together on events such as the First Friday event it participated in on April 7. The members had a table with brochures, fliers and information on local resources and events.

The groups involved in the coalition include the Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center, Survivor Resource Center, Vermilion Housing Authority, Fair Hope Children's Ministry, CASA, Birth to Five and a home visitor through Children's Home & Aid.

"It's just a great group to be able to facilitate some discussions. Sometimes we'll talk about trends or issues we're seeing in the field. Maybe there might be a staffing issue," Duden said.

Duden facilitates five CAP coalitions in the central part of Illinois.

"The idea is to grow them, sustain them and just really be a resource for the community," Duden said.

There are other ways the public can also get involved with Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Brooke Ferber, executive director of the Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center, said Culver's is partnering with the coalition through April 15 where a free will donation gets a customer a pinwheel. The customer can write their name on the paper pinwheel and Culver's is displaying them in the restaurant.

A pinwheel is a national symbol for child abuse prevention. It represents happy, healthy childhoods.

The funds from the pinwheel fundraiser will go to the CAP coalition to have more events and provide further awareness materials.

There also is a 2023 Child Abuse Awareness Conference on April 26-27 at Danville Area Community College's Bremer Center, 2000 E. Main St., Danville. It's presented by the Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center and Survivor Resource Center.

Ferber said most of the conference on April 27 will be open to the community.

There will be three speakers that day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They are: Regina Calcaterra, a lawyer, New York state official, New York Times bestselling author who is a child abuse survivor, public speaker and advocate for abused children; Careyana Brenham, medical doctor and professor of clinical medicine at Southern Illinois University Springfield, and specially trained in child abuse exams; and Michelle Denault, prevention educator with SAFE in Vandalia, public speaker and survivor of child sexual abuse and grooming.

Ferber said the speakers will talk about their struggles with child abuse, how they survived and overcame it, and are now successful.

There also will be a justice panel, put on by Survivor Resource Center, consisting of Danville Police Chief Chris Yates, Vermilion County State's Attorney Jacqueline Lacy, NAACP President and newly-elected alderman Ed Butler, Department of Children and Family Services, victim advocates and a child sexual abuse survivor. The guided discussion will be about violence in the community.

"So not specifically child abuse, but incorporating all the violence in our community," Ferber said.

Community members can ask questions. It's a free event.

More information, such as registering for the conference, can be found on social media and through the centers.

Ferber said they do child abuse and forensic interviews at the child advocacy center. The center receives referrals from DCFS and law enforcement. They bring the family to the child-friendly welcoming center.

"We just try to make it as comfortable as we can so we can reduce traumatization," Ferber said, adding that they have superheroes depicted on the walls of the center, and give the children goodie bags of stress-relief and hygiene items.

The children are interviewed once. Ferber said they work closely with their multi-disciplinary team that includes law enforcement, DCFS and prosecution.

Ferber said one of the center's hashtags is "It's everyone's business."

If someone witnesses child abuse, report it by calling 1-800-25-ABUSE or call 911, Ferber said.

For anyone interested in joining the CAP coalition, contact Ferber or Duden. Duden and Ferber said they'd love to have some parents on the coalition, in addition to teachers, to get their feedback and input on issues they are dealing with.

Contact information for Ferber and Duden can be found on the Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center's Facebook page and the website preventchildabuse.org.