Marquette needs a dedicated, local, children’s advocacy center.
Our team is excited as we begin towards our vision of creating a safer present and future for Marquette County’s children and families - and, the timing is kind-of perfect. We get to kick off this soft-launch during Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time for us all to raise awareness of, and take action to prevent, child abuse.
As we launch this new endeavor and prepare for building a powerful foundation with the help of partners across Marquette County, we want to thank you for your support. You being here, and engaging with our dream, is incredible to see, and only the beginning. We want to invite you to join us in our commitment to making sure that every child is safe and protected from abuse.
Responding to a disclosure of abuse
As parents and caregivers, it's important to know how to respond if a child discloses abuse. Here are some tips from the National Children's Alliance:
Believe the child: Children rarely lie about abuse, and it's important to take them seriously and let them know they did the right thing by telling you.
Stay calm: It's important to stay calm and not overreact or show too much emotion. It can be hard, of course, but keeping your cool can help the child feel safe in your presence. You don't want the kid or teen to feel like they've made you angry or sad. Reassure the child that you will do everything you can to keep them safe. Thank them for telling you.
Report the abuse: Report the abuse to law enforcement or Child Protective Services immediately. Do not confront the perpetrator yourself for safety and for the integrity of the case, we don't want to give advanced time to a perpetrator to think through ways they can hide, minimize, or deny abuse.
You're not alone: Reach out to us for support and assistance finding licensed mental health care providers who can help your family through this difficult time. Child abuse, especially sexual abuse, thrives in an environment of secrecy and shame. People often feel they can't share what's happened to them or their family with others. Survivor and Family Advocates can walk with you on your journey to healing and justice.
CACs are vital assets to communities
Children’s advocacy centers like Northern Lights are critical to keeping kids safe in our communities. CACs provide a child-friendly, safe, and supportive environment for children who have experienced abuse, human trafficking, or neglect. Centers offer forensic interviews, medical evaluations, therapy, and other services to help children and families heal from the trauma of abuse. By bringing together law enforcement, child protective services, medical professionals, and mental health providers, children’s advocacy centers provide a coordinated response to child abuse that is trauma-informed, evidence-based, child-centered, and culturally responsive.
As we work towards making this dream a reality, we ask for your support in our mission to keep kids safe and prevent child abuse. You can get involved by:
Donating to Northern Lights Child Advocacy Center: Your donation will help us provide essential services to children and families in need.
Spreading the word: Subscribe to our newsletter, follow our blog, follow us on social media, and share our vision with your friends and family to help raise awareness about child abuse prevention.
Lend us a helping-hand: As we prepare to open, we will be looking for volunteers to help us in many different ways - from preparing a space with renovation, to setting up small rallying events to engage funders, and helping us to perfect our free community prevention trainings. Stay tuned for more information, or reach out today to schedule a conversation about how you can get involved.
