This two-part presentation will utilize the presenter’s lived experiences of childhood sexual abuse to provide a framework for how one transforms from victim to advocate. The first part of the presentation will focus on the dynamics of sexual abuse, grooming tactics used by abusers, and an exploration of the barriers that often prevent kids from telling their stories. The second part of the presentation will address the needs of victims and their immediate non-offending family members in the aftermath of a sexual abuse disclosure. This part will also address how professionals working with victims after disclosures of abuse can promote post-traumatic growth and influence the long-term outcomes. The presenter will also highlight the ongoing advocacy needs of victims of child abuse in the wake of statute of limitation reform laws throughout the United States. Attendees will have the opportunity to evaluate their agency’s effectiveness in meeting the needs of families impacted by child sexual abuse and explore untapped supportive resources in their community.
Learning Objectives:
Recognize the physical, emotional, relational, financial, and environmental impacts of child sexual abuse on primary and secondary victims
Evaluate agency's effectiveness in providing trauma-informed advocacy to primary and secondary victims of child sexual abuse
Identify three barriers preventing children from disclosing child sexual abuse
