The topic of child abuse can be a tough one. First Witness Child Advocacy Center is working to raise awareness and train community members to better identify warning signs and help prevent child abuse.
"We call our prevention approach a three-pronged approach. That is talking to kids, but also talking to caregivers and teachers," says Gracie Getschel, Preventative Education Coordinator with First Witness, who's strategy involves getting trusted adults and kids educated about what's ok and what needs to be reported. "When I talk to kids, I go into their classrooms and talk about body safety, I talk about safe and unsafe touches, and I also talk about what to do if you ever get an unsafe touch."
A large barrier to identifying child abuse is the mentality that it's not something that happens in one's own community, school or church. "If abuse is happening or if someone makes a disclosure, it can be tough because you might know both sides really well," says Megan Prouty, Outreach and Training Specialist with First Witness. "It's really easy to feel like that doesn't happen in my community."
For more information about Faith in Action and Safe and Strong Communities trainings, visit the First Witness CAC website. The First Witness crisis line is 218-727-8353 and is open from 8:30am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday.
You can hear Community Connection every Tuesday and Thursday at 8am on Northland Morning.
