Research has concluded that one in five children will suffer sexual abuse before their 18th birthday. To help give voice to these unprotected children, a Penn State Abington student organization is hosting a dialogue with one abuse victim.
Retired teacher Louisa Abney Babcock will share her personal story of abuse at noon on Friday, March 30, in the Lares Building on campus. She will be joined by Abbie Newman, executive director of Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center of Montgomery County, who will share resources for victims and their nonoffending caregivers with students, faculty and staff.
The event is supported by the Student Activity Fee and organized by A Place To Talk (APTT), the Abington peer-counseling service. For more information, contact Director of Health Services Donna Monk at djm40@psu.edu.
Mission Kids is a nonprofit professional team that responds to abuse allegations by interviewing alleged victims and developing investigation and intervention strategies. Countywide, the district attorney’s office, police departments and the Office of Children and Youth all have pledged to coordinate prosecution of abuse cases at Mission Kids. To learn more, go to www.missionkidscac.org.