Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center Continues to Shed Light on Child Abuse

ROCKY MOUNT – April is recognized as “National Child Abuse Prevention Month” with the emphasis on families and communities working together to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect.

The Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center located in Rocky Mount continues to be an integral piece in the child abuse prevention puzzle.

According to the centers data, there were 55,255 reports of child abuse or neglect in the fiscal year 2018 in the state of Virginia and nationally 1 out of every 10 children are victims of sexual abuse or assault before they turn 18.

The Southern VA Child Advocacy Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the well-being of  children through treatment, advocacy, prevention, and education. They offer space for all CAPS’ programs, as well as, a child friendly atmosphere for our multidisciplinary response to child abuse and neglect.

They also offer the benefit of immediate follow-up on child abuse reports, better coordination of medical and mental health referrals, fewer child victim interviews, increased successful prosecution and a consistent continuum of support services to victims and their non-offending family members.

The center received national accreditation in June of 2004, becoming the first CAC in the state to attain ranking.

Serving the community for over 25 years the child advocacy center states their mission as, ” Every child has the right to a safe, permanent home; a loving and supportive environment; and the opportunity to be a child. Each year in the United States, millions of children are abused, neglected, or abandoned by their families. Eventually, many of these children end up in court with a judge deciding their future. Sometimes children become victims again, victims of an overburdened child welfare system. Sometimes a child can remain adrift in the system for months, even years. Every child deserves to begin their journey to recovery through a children’s advocacy center, a child-friendly place where even the smallest and most vulnerable of child victims can feel safe telling what has happened to them and where their healing can begin.”

If you have questions, would like to volunteer or need help you can contact the Southern VA Child Advocacy Center at (540) 484-5566 or by e-mail at [email protected].