Teal colored ribbons and blue pinwheels can be found all around the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay this month.  These symbols remind us that April is Sexual Violence Awareness and Child Abuse Prevention month.  This year, the Crisis Center is recognizing both of these important events because, all too often, sexual violence and child abuse occur together.

Did you know every 107 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted (RAINN.org)?  Did you know that 20.7% of reported child abuse cases were sexual abuse (childhelp.org)?  Can you imagine a child experiencing these horrific events and then never receiving the help or support to mend and heal?  These statistics are some of the many reasons that the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay exists - to ensure that no one in our community has to face a crisis alone by offering help, hope and healing.

Mary is a teen whose grandmother brought her to the Crisis Center searching for help.  She had been a victim of childhood sexual abuse by her mother's boyfriend.  Though her mother was aware of the abuse, she was unable to protect Mary.  For this reason, she was removed from her mother and placed with her grandmother.  While Mary was physically safe in her grandmother's care, she was unable to escape the nightmares and daily reminders of the abuse she had endured.  When Mary came to the Crisis Center, she was paired with a therapist at our Corbett Trauma Center.  Her therapist worked with Mary and her grandmother to teach both of them how to cope with Mary's extensive abuse.   Mary learned that while her trauma experience will always be a part of her, it did not have to control her life.  Today, I am so happy to say that Mary is a healthy teen with a bright future ahead of her.

Those statistics and stories of victims like Mary are just a few of the reasons the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is partnering with the community to bring awareness of child abuse and sexual violence.  On April 5th, we partnered with the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, the Glazer Children's Museum and many other child serving organizations to participate in the Pinwheels for Prevention event.  Additionally on April 30th, we will partner with the Spring and Suncoast Center for Take Back the Night, a sexual and domestic violence awareness event being held at North Straub Park.  

So please, join us in the fight to prevent child abuse and sexual violence by visiting our website - www.crisiscenter.com.  I believe that together, our community can make a difference in the lives of children like Mary.

All my best!

Clara