The Beacon: Baltimore's Child Advocates blog

Satisfaction

2009-11-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

BCAC sees over 1000 people a year. Most of them enter our building scared and unsure what lies ahead. For each family we see we provide a satisfaction survey. For the last 2 years now we've 95% of respondents state their experience at BCAC was either good or very good. We're very proud of these numbers.

One such survey came across my desk today. I'm pretty proud of what it says about our impact - even on a 17 year old girl. We often forget that they are still children and appreciate all that we can do for them. Please read.

a message to oprah

2009-10-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

yes, i admit it. i watch oprah. its on the tivo and the dvr and sometimes i fall asleep to it. i stumbled upon this week's episode. it was a follow up on the mackenzie phillips incest story.

i watched with curiousity and fascination to see if the show would (a) call incest abuse and (b) provide resources. although indirectly done, it did call incest abuse. but no resources were provided. the women (and their books) featured were found through oprah's website and message boards. after the episode ended, rather than going to sleep, i logged in.

this is what i wrote:

I watched with great interest your follow up show on incest. Center for Disease Control states the best way to end sexual child abuse is by public awareness campaigns. Your courage in airing such episodes is commendable.

However, I fear you left an important element out of this show: what viewers can do to stop & report abuse. Your next follow up show should highlight these agencies. At the Baltimore Child Abuse Center, we are one of 600 children’s advocacy centers giving voices to children when abuse is suspected. We work with police, social services, and families to give a voice to end abuse as well as provide treatment and prevention. As this episode aired, 150 of us were meeting in Denver to discuss how to best continue this battle. We make investigations better, we empower families, we even save taxpayer dollars, and we can do more.

The fight against sexual child abuse- which is incest, molestation and "consensual" intercourse within families- and providing help to families who need it continues. We must get word out that we are here working as a team to help. Ample resources are available and I was hoping your episode would provide numbers or web addresses. For those interested, help can be found at www.baltimorechildabusecenter.org and nationalchildrensalliance.org. We are here to help.

- Adam Rosenberg, Executive Director, Baltimore Child Abuse Center

the episode is here http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20091008-tows-incest-survivor-rena watch it. tell me what you think. does this help us, hurt us, make the issue more tangible or more unthinkable. tell me your comments.

oprah links to RAINN which is a great resource - but can we give more? can we and oprah who get millions of viewers (empathetic to the cause and some victims themselves) to understand how we are here to help?

oprah - if you are out there, we want in - we want to be a part of the dialogue and to help end abuse.

2009-10-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

What has your first month’s experience at BCAC been? What has it taught you and what would you change?

2009-10-13T06:51:00.001-07:00

what if we advertised the same way?

2009-09-02T17:58:00.000-07:00

just saw an excellent ad for the humane society of north america. dozens of grusome pictures of dogs crammed into crate like cages, horses being led to slaughter, cats with maimed legs - all filmed in grainy dim color with dark music. horrific statistics about the number of dogs forced to fight, slaughtered for meat, terrible stuff. and for just $19 a month you can stop it (cut to scene with acress and adorable healthy puppy).

imagine if the child abuse community posted the same ad? images of abused children, kids with horrible bruises, children terrified in beds with adults? the outcry would be deafening.

i think its one of the major stumbling blocks we face as a community to get our message out there that for the same $19 you can stop child abuse.

this is not meant to knock animal abuse - i love my dog, we got him from the SPCA. its a great and important organization. but the fact that substantially more money goes to animal causes versus people causes is mind blowing.

captions such as what did i do wrong? why did they abandon me? will i die today? every day 1000s of animals throughout america are tortured and killed. couldn't we say the same thing about children?

the add concludes with "if these animals could talk they'd tell you they desparately need you to save them right now." couldn't we make the same claim for children - except even worse, they do talk, and we don't listen.

how do we begin to make the sea change and get people to notice, and more importantly, act to keep children safe from abuse?

what are your thoughts on this?

6 Easy Ways to Keep Kids Safe

2009-04-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

The Baltimore Child Abuse Center wants to help you keep kids safe. Below are 6 easy things that you can do. Learn more at our site www.baltimorechildabusecenter.org/prevent_abuse

1. Learn the facts-

Abusers are not always strangers. In fact, in the majority of sexual abuse cases, the perpetrator is very close to the family. Learn how to identify the signs of abuse and abusers.

2. Know the Signs-

Physical signs of sexual abuse are not always present. Know how to identify behavioral and emotional signs of abuse. Does your child fear a specific person? Are they afraid to be left alone? Do they have nightmares? It could be nothing, or together, could be early indicators of abuse. Know what to look for.

3. Talk to Them!

Only 1 in 10 children who have been sexually abused actually report it. Often it is because they do not have an adult they trust. Let your children know it is okay to talk to you about anything, and that you will not get angry or upset if they think they made a mistake.

4. Minimize Opportunity-

Educated children are much harder targets for abuse. Teach your children about their own bodies, and the correct names of their body parts. Teach them what is an inappropriate touch, not a "bad" touch, as this can be confusing for young children. Often times a "bad touch" feels good and is confusing to them. Also teach them to avoid being left alone with an adult they do not trust. Let your child tell you if there is somene they do not trust, and believe them when they tell you they do not want to be alone with that person; there is probably a reason why.

5. Have a Plan-

Talk to your child about people who they can go to at any time if something bad happens. Establish a place where they can go where they feel safe if something bad happens. Let your child tell you who they trust or where they feel comfortable. This way, if something goes wrong, both you and your child have a place and a person where you know they can go and feel safe, and you can easily find them.

6. Take Action-

Don't overreact if your child discloses something bad that has happened to them. Let them know that you are listening and that what they have to say is important. Refrain from asking them too many questions, as they may become confused or think they are in trouble. Report any incident immediately to the proper authorities. 911 or 410-361-2235, are both reporting lines.

Prevention - what can you do?

2009-04-21T07:44:00.001-07:00

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

What can you do spread the message and help prevent abuse?

Wear a ribbon in support of the cause (you can get them from us by emailing info@bcaci.org, or just looping blue or teal ribbon)
Join our cause on Facebook and make a statement to your online friends that you aren't tolerating abuse. http://tiny.cc/fvVYo
Learn the 6 easy ways you can keep your kids safe. http://www.baltimorechildabusecenter.org/prevent_abuse
Invite someone from BCAC to speak to your group about prevention

Upcoming Events for Baltimore Child Abuse Center

2009-03-26T10:40:00.001-07:00

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Baltimore Child Abuse Center
Upcoming Events

Dear Friend of BCAC,

April is nationally known as Child Abuse Awareness Month.

Help BCAC get the word out about the work we do and how you can help prevent child sexual abuse. Please support us in keeping children safe by attending an event, donating now online, or doing your part as a member of the community to learn the signs of sexual abuse and ways you can prevent it. Visit our website www.BaltimoreChildAbuseCenter.org to learn more.

Warm regards,

Adam Rosenberg
Executive Director

Don't forget about our
BCAC Community Block Party
THIS SATURDAY
with the Ravens!
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.! Rain or shine!

April

This Month is Child Abuse Awareness Month!

Show your support by wearing a teal ribbon to raise awareness of child sexual abuse! Please contact us to find out how to get your ribbon!

Friday, April 3rd-
Night of 1000 Smiles
Bring a smile to a child's face with your own laughter on April 3rd at Magooby's Joke House at 9306 Harford Rd. VIP Reception from 6-7:30 pm, Show Time at 8 with Vanessa Hollingshead. Contact Chuck Ritz at critz@bcaci.org for more information and to request tickets!

Wednesday, April 15th-

Celebrity Bartending Night at Mt. Washington Tavern to benefit BCAC!
Come join us for happy hour starting at 6:00 p.m. We will have guest bartenders TBA, along with raffle prizes, and a DJ, so stop on by after work! Click Here to go to the Tavern's website.

Saturday, April 18th-
Annual Victims Fund Run Walk
To benefit BCAC and the Baltimore City States Attorney's Office Victim Witness Fund. To be held at Patterson Park. Please contact Kelly Dees - (410) 308-1870 or E-Mail:kelly@charmcityrun.com for more information.

Coming Up!

MAY and beyond 2009

Friday, May 8 -Law & Order Charity Golf Tournament at Pine Ridge Golf Course, 8:00 am registration. Post-game party/silent auction at PIV's Pub in Cockeysville. Contact Bill Ritz at writz@comcast.net or 443-904-1508, or Don Giblin at 410-396-5380. For information about entering or becoming a sponsor, visit www.bcaccharity.com

June Event- Keep your eye out for a concert and Happy Hour at Ram's Head Live in June!

Friend us
on Facebook and join our Cause!

Donate Now Online!

Join Our Mailing List!

Event Contact Information

Yalanda McMullen
ymcmullen@bcaci.org

410-396-6147

6 Easy Ways to Keep Your Child Safe

1. Know the Signs-Physical signs of sexual abuse are not always present. Know how to identify behavioral and emotional signs of abuse. Does your child fear a specific person? Are they afraid to be left alone? Do they have nightmares? It could be nothing, or together, could be early indicators of abuse. Know what to look for.

2. Take Action-Don't overreact if your child discloses something bad that has happened to them. Let them know that you are listening and that what they have to say is important. Report any incident immediately to the proper authorities. 911 or 410-235-6661, are both reporting lines....

Read More

Email Sponsored By:

The "Constant Contact Cares4Kids" program supports educational and social non-profit organizations that help children. Learn more about the Cares4Kids program.

More than 250,000 small businesses and organizations trust Constant Contact to connect with their customers and members. Signup for a free 60-day trial.

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Baltimore Child Abuse Center \| 2300 N. Charles Street \| Baltimore \| MD \| 21218

Baltimore Child Abuse Center Community Block Party

2009-03-18T13:09:00.001-07:00

Having trouble viewing this email? http://www.bcaci.org/new_and_events/upcoming_event

You are Invited

to our

Community Block Party!

Event Sponsors

ABC2News
and the
Built Upon A Dream Program

CAM Construction

Gant-Brunnett Architects

BB&T Bank-Harbor East

Quick Links

www.bcaci.org

Built Upon a Dream

Be an advocate, help support the cause. Click Here to get BCAC updates!

Greetings!

Please join us on Saturday, March 28th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to celebrate the completion of our Built Upon a Dream Project. There will be plenty of food and family fun, and a special appearance by The Baltimore Ravens! Please RSVP to me, jwilson@bcaci.org. We would love to see you and your family there!

Baltimore Child Abuse Center

BCAC COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY!

Come celebrate with us!
Food, Music, family fun,
and Paint Party with
the BALTIMORE RAVENS!

Games for all ages,
and raffle prizes every hour!

2300 N. Charles Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21218

410-396-6147

10:00 AM-2:00 PM

Any gift, no matter how small, can make a difference in the life of a child.Please visit our website to find out more about ways you can help our children, and other upcoming events www.BaltimoreChildAbuseCenter.org.

Please also friend us on Facebook and join our cause!

Email Sponsored By:

The "Constant Contact Cares4Kids" program supports educational and social non-profit organizations that help children. Learn more about the Cares4Kids program.

More than 250,000 small businesses and organizations trust Constant Contact to connect with their customers and members. Signup for a free 60-day trial.

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This email was sent to adamcrosenberg.bcac@blogger.com, by jwilson@bcaci.org Update Profile/Email Address \| Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ \| Privacy Policy.
Baltimore Child Abuse Center \| 2300 N. Charles Street \| Baltimore \| MD \| 21218

Emotional Rollercoaster…

2009-02-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

Good Day Folks…
(Sighs…) Where do I begin….Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Ok, I’ll give you the good newsJ. I made my very first treatment referral today! I’m talking about the whole shebang…referral form, letter to parent, log book, contact with the agency, etc.... (Thanks for the support Natalie!). I was thrown out into the deep treatment waters and I survived! O yea, O yea! I feel…like I’ve just helped someone and to tell you the truth, it feels good. So, now….the bad news….

The Strengthening Families Coping Resources group ENDED LAST NIGHT!!!....(sad face). I was so blown because I wasn’t expecting it to end, especially since my group was so excited about coming back. The reason it ended was because one family didn’t come and the 3rd family dropped out. That just goes to show that no matter how great your idea is, sometimes things may not work out as planned but “you gotta work with whatcha got”…and that’s what we did.

The “Doe Family” arrived……Wait, lets rewind <<<<<<<…..Justine (Prevention/Community Outreach Coordinator) and I went to pick up the food for the meeting and let me just say that we were amazed at how much time and attention that was put in the preparation of this meal (there was even a little note in the box). Special shout out goes to Carma’s Café located at 3120 Saint Paul St! All the specialty sandwiches were placed neatly in individual, labeled bags for convenience; we had soup, chips, tea fixings, salad and my favorite….CUPCAKES!!!! I was so tempted to keep them for myself, but I knew that if I were to walk in with frosting on my face, Id be caughtJ. The staff members were really nice too. Oh yea, the good thing about the cupcakes is that I still got to eat most of them because a good number of the BCAC staff members are doing the Ultimate Biggest Loser weight loss competition…so they’re all eating salads, special K bars and lean cuisines. More for me!!

Before the “Doe Family” came, I was saying to myself, “How in the world am I going to interact with them…the kids hardly talked last week.” Thankfully we had a great team and we all worked together to get the job done. They came in and we began our ritual…the ritual NO ONE seemed to want to do…the ritual they agreed to do (sighs). So, the smallest child decided to sing the alphabet song…(short and sweeeeet!). We went on to discuss family moments and they made a poster board together for display. All through out this project the oldest daughter seemed very, very uncomfortable and withdrawn. I was getting aggravated because I just thought she was being difficult; especially when she didn’t want to take a picture with the family beside the poster. The brother was very upset as well because he didn’t understand why his sister was acting that way. He just thought she wanted to be a “Goth” and she was just being complicated.

We moved on to plant the family garden. The garden…was the most nerve wrecking thing for me because the youngest daughter had SO MUCH energy…she was literally all over the place. All I could think about was “dirt shower”. (Mind you, I’m not a big fan of dirt). To my surprise, she did better than I thought, but she did man-handle the flowers though :0). I admire her mother’s patience.

Ok, so …the mother tried to talk to the oldest daughter, but she wouldn’t talk so she asked her if she would write it on paper…she agreed. Come to find out, the daughter was having flashbacks of previous trauma incidents and they were flooding her mind. Can you say CRISIS INTERVENTION? Talk about intense. There were tears and mood changes…the whole nine. I felt kind of bad for being aggravated at her earlier…I didn’t know. This is why it’s not cool to judge a book by its cover. Thanks to Ruby and Kyla…two awesome social workers, the situation was addressed. I’m not sure what happened because I was attempting to entertain the youngest daughter in the other room (didn’t work).

Needless to say, I just didn’t expect all of that to happen, but I can say that BCAC is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re gonna get…

Peace & Blessings,
TMP

We are Fam-i-ly!

2009-02-19T13:19:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

I’m back and I have some exciting news! Here at BCAC we have teamed up with The University of Maryland, Baltimore-Center for Infant Studies Department to implement their research project called, “Strengthening Families Coping Resources” (SFCR). SFCR is an exciting 15 week program that offers a family dinner, fun, strength and communication building exercises for families who have experienced some form of trauma. Our first group was supposed to begin on January 27th, but we didn’t have enough families to participate (bummer). We finally were able to begin on this past Tuesday, February 17. It’s very difficult to get families to commit, so when not one, but TWO families showed up after being “no-shows” last week (a huge bummer), we were absolutely thrilled. I was sure hoping they would come because they were being served lasagna for dinner and who would want to miss such an awesome meal right?

The group was supposed to begin at 5:30pm, but we were about 20-25 minutes late starting. I was getting nervous because a lot of effort was put into the preparation and the research project all together and it would be a disappointment to have no one come. So this is how it went down on Tuesday:

The families were TOTALLY different. One family was calm and reserved and the other was not so calm and….not so reserved, but both were manageable and cooperative. They came in and sat at their dinner tables, all nicely set with name cards and a nice center piece. They took about 30 minutes to eat (yes, the food is free for them. Here’s a big SHOUT OUT!! to Sp'getti Eddie's of Roland Park and Chuck Ritz for taking care of our meals so far. We appreciate your donation! ). Just a small note, we are always looking for restaurants, delis and shops to donate a meal so if you are interested or know someone who is interested, contact Justine Wilson at 410-396-6147. So….back to the story: After they ate, we broke out into our group sessions (ranging from 5 yr olds to adults) where we worked on a common themed activity about “ Family Traditions”, next we all came back together for an activity and to also develop some rules, opening and closing rituals and the homework assignment for the next week.

Although I was uneasy about the group, mainly because it seemed like it was going to be overwhelming, everything worked out and I absolutely LOVE my group. My partner and I had the 7-9 year olds. These girls were amazing. They had a lot of energy and even named themselves, “The Super Dooper Dooper Stars”. Ill never forget when one of the girls came in, she immediately walked over to me and said, “Hi, I’m “Jane”…nice to meet you” and she gave the biggest hug. If you must know, I’m part “germaphobe” so I had to catch my breath on that one, but it was cool. She had the biggest smile on her face and from that point all my fears and apprehensions vanished. I was looking for a sign to let me know that things were going to be cool, and there it came. While we were on our way to our break out sessions, she said, “I think you’re nice and…um, I think your hair is kinda cool too”. I thought that was sweet.

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and for the most part, they were interested in coming back next week. Ill keep you posted and let you know how it goes. Until next time…

Peace & Blessings,
TMP

The World of an Intern...

2009-02-19T13:11:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

My name is Tierra and I am a second year, Masters of Social Work, intern here at the Baltimore Child Abuse Center (BCAC). I am pursuing my degree at The University of Maryland, Baltimore (only a few months left and I graduate…yay!!!!). I am a North Carolina native, “Go Tarheels!” and I moved up here all alone so that I could develop some “survival skills”. Trust me, everyday hasn’t been great and some days I have been truly tested to my limit, but only the strong survive and I’m a warrior.

My search for an internship landed me here at BCAC and I would like to believe that my experience has evolved from a small seed into a beautiful flower. When I first began my internship, I had no clue what was going to happen. All I knew was that BCAC helped children who had been sexually abused, but I didn’t know exactly how it happened. To be honest, I was nervous about a whole lot of things, “What are the staff members like? Will I get along with everyone? Will I be able to handle some things that I might hear during an interview? Will the bathroom be clean? (For the record…it isJ). Now it’s February 2009 and I can say that all of my worries were just ….worries. Things are cool here. I glad that I have more responsibilities now because it makes you feel like you are helping and making meaningful contributions to the agency. I have also enjoyed connecting with families & children and have built some long lasting friendships among the “Intern Crew”. A few days ago I told Natalie, the treatment coordinator, that I’m sort of like an oyster. I may have seemed closed at first, but I do have a pearl inside that I show once I’ve opened up a little. It doesn’t pay to “stay to yourself” here, because we all need each other and it takes team work to get this job done.

Just an aside: between you and me, I am still a little antsy when it comes to facilitation…note taking may seem like a small deal to you, but here it’s a big deal. As soon as I see that yellow legal pad and that black pen…I break out in a sweat and run for cover! (If you ever want to test your skills…this is a great place to startJ).

From September 2008 until now, I have come to realize that BCAC does a “whole lot” for the children they serve. Everything that is needed to assist the children and their family is here and I find that simply amazing. I have developed a sense of pride for BCAC…almost to the point of wanting to wear a t-shirt (if anyone is listening…royal blue fabric with Crayola color prints ;)).

I kind of think I’ll miss the place when this is over, but I’ll just live in the moment and cherish the time I’m here now. Until next time…

Peace & Blessings
TMP

Building a Dream

2009-02-18T18:01:00.001-08:00

Monday starts our long awaited renovation project - Built Upon a Dream. WMAR ABC2 news selected us to get a mini extreme makeover. With some great partners on board (CAM construction, GBA Architects and a host of others - websites coming soon) we will transform our building and our look.

Our lobby and conference room will receive some much needed love - new paint, floors, repaired marble, improved lighting, lots of furniture, new bathrooms - it will enable us to greet the families we serve with the same level of dignity and cheerfulness our 4th floor offices provide.

up on our floor, we are getting new furniture, paint, new HVACs, new kitchenettes, cabinets, flooring - it will look great.

frankly - i can't wait to see it come real. stay posted for pictures. and stay tuned for some great announcements as to how you can help!

Dealing with tough economic times

2009-01-27T06:12:00.000-08:00

The news shouldn't surprise anyone. It's tough out there. 76,000 jobs were cut nationwide yesterday and those are just the ones that make the newspaper. I hear of countless other people losing jobs, getting furloughed, and preparing for the worst which most people say is still to come.

BCAC is no different. Cases are up, interest in what we do is high, but everyone from donors, to the State, to corporations, to foundations are watching their bottom line as well. A perfect storm isn't the right word for it, but its a bad confluence of events that just hurt small not for profits like us.

What to do? The BCAC Board of Directors agreed last Thursday to initiate a Task Force to deal with these issues - they intend over the next 2 months to meet and look at the organization top to bottom. How can we economize, how can we re-organize, and where else should we look for funding? Additionally, the board agreed its time to step up the ask - we plan on calling our past supporters and people who have been interested in BCAC to invite them to help us once again.

Every dollar matters - every gift counts. $230 provides a new beginning for a sexually abused child. $18 pays for to transport one family to BCAC.

What else are we doing? BoardSource just put up a list of 10 smart things a board can do NOW to prepare for financial crisis. Read it here: http://www.boardsource.org/Spotlight.asp?ID=14.412

We'll keep you posted on our plan as it develops - share with us your thoughts as well as how to make it through these tough times. But rest assured, the lights are on, and we're here to protect children, now more than ever.

Talking about the center on WYPR

2009-01-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

BCAC was featured this morning on public radio 88.1 WYPR.

You can listen and read the story here http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wypr/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1454289

Mitzvah Day

2008-12-25T12:28:00.000-08:00

Just a brief note to tell all of you what a fantastic afternoon we had for Mitzvah Day! We had about 25 people here at BCAC helping us make this place look great. Volunteers painted our logo on the wall, assembled art kits for the kids who come through here, painted mural plaques to be continued by our children here, and really cleaned out and organized our huge collection of books and blankets that we give away. During that time balloon animals and new friends were made.

Thank you to Jewish Volunteer Connection for making us a stop on Community Mitzvah Day – we were thrilled to have the help and expect that it will begin a monthly series of volunteer opportunities for people to help BCAC. A special thank you to our incredible core of volunteers who gave us their all – you are welcome to come back anytime.

Photos are posted on our website http://www.bcaci.org/support_us/community_events/community_mitzvah_day

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and a safe and healthy new year to all.

Warmest wishes,

Adam

Audacious Idea - Let's End Sexual Child Abuse

2008-12-21T09:17:00.000-08:00

Here's a post that I submitted to OSI's Audacious Ideas Blog in the fall. I'm reposting it here for your review and comment. (Click here for the original post) Over the coming months, BCAC plans to unveil an ambitious, audacious, and attainable plan to educate ALL of Baltimore City over the 6 years in preventing sexual child abuse.

What if I told you that as a city we could reduce the incidents of sexual child abuse by 48%?

Consider the fact that last year, the Baltimore Child Abuse Center interviewed 793 children about allegations of sexual child abuse; now consider national estimates that only one in 10 children report the abuse.

Baltimore City statistics show that 82% of children who reported abuse knew their abuser. A significant proportion of abusers who these children know are young men who have grown up in a culture that tells them it’s acceptable to have sex with a 12 year old – which is in fact rape, regardless of consent.

We need to start talking frankly and publically about child sexual abuse in Baltimore. Teaching our kids “good touch/bad touch” is insufficient. It inappropriately puts the burden on the child victim to stand up and say what happened – adults must take responsibility for the safety and healthy development of children. We must go from a fear based approach to one that confronts these issues head on in an open dialogue. We must also educate parents and teachers through outreach to schools, religious institutions and community groups. Adults need to know what to look out for as well as what to say and do to stop abuse. They also need to believe children who talk about alleged abuse rather than doubting their words simply because they are children.

It’s essential we confront boys and young men ages 15 to 21. They are not necessarily predatory sex offenders but opportunistic sex offenders, whose behavior can be most easily and least expensively influenced. Through candid discussions in classrooms, youth centers, and religious institutions with potential victims, potential perpetrators and even bystanders about the rules, ramifications and criminal penalties of their actions, we can begin to change the culture, prevent abuse and salvage many lives. By helping all possibly affected impressionable youths identify the factors that put them at risk of being hurt themselves or hurting others and empowering them to develop their own protections, we can begin to dramatically reduce the incidents of future sexual abuse.

Nationally, child sexual abuse costs taxpayers an estimated $24.4 billion a year for health care, social services, and law enforcement. Sexually abused/assaulted children are 74 percent more likely to commit a crime against another person and 24 times more likely to become abusers themselves.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has declared child sexual maltreatment a preventable public health problem and recommended adoption of an ongoing and coordinated community prevention response. What are we waiting for?

It’s been done. By confronting this issue, the State of Vermont – whose socio-economic and offender data is similar to Baltimore’s – reduced its rate of reported child sexual abuse by 48 percent over 10 years. They implemented the above programs and curriculum in their schools and communities and committed to changing the dialogue about how they address sexual abuse. Educators, parents, and youth workers as well as teenage children have for years participated in comprehensive health education and violence prevention programs which resulted in promoting healthy relationships, safe lines of communication, and empowered adults to dramatically reduce sexual child abuse. It’s time we take similar action in Baltimore and focus on aggressively fighting sexual child abuse in our city.

So, where do we go from here?

2008-12-11T04:14:00.000-08:00

Today concluded our fact finding mission. A diverse multi disciplinary team composed of health, education, government, religious, family leadership met for the last time in israel as a group. We met with colleagues from JDC to see the evaluations about PACT and then ask ourselves the tough question - what's next?

As for pact - again, the results begin to speak for themselves. It has enabled significant changes in 6 year educational development scores, significant increased employment - especially among women, lower poverty. "It" works - now, how do we implement?

The first steps were placed today - who will "our" program benefit? How big is the group? What is the structure? Who funds it and who runs it? How do we tell the story? And perhaps most importantly, how do we involve the community itself?

We all agreed to start talking and meeting quickly so as not to lose momentum. Perhaps its an anticlimatic posting after such an emotional week, but stay tuned for details and reflections.

Now - to enjoy a day in jerusalem. Tomorrow, I'm touring Jerusalem's Beit Lyn which is their CAC.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

My Moment

2008-12-10T14:20:00.001-08:00

I saw a pre-school today where I got to join 30 four year olds who sang Hatikvah - nothing has quite hit me about being in a Jewish homeland with "old" israelis as well as new israeli olim from ethiopia, russia, eastern europe, and even a kid from chicago than getting to experience and participate in such a moment. It was quite beautiful.

So was the school - again, influenced and augmented by PACT. It's an amazing overlay to the existing excellent infrastructure with Ashkelon, Israel seems to have. the girl in purple above is also a new immigrant to israel - by way of chicago. she got to wave the flag for hatikvah. she was a part of a class of all jews - ethiopian, russian, morrocan, native israeli, and more - who were all one jewish people.

Ashkelon in itself proved to be an incredible experience for the group. if yesterday was the ah ha moment for all in understanding world jewry, today proved to be the power of how the people in program are affected by the work PACT does, JDC does and in turn we all do.

We truly experienced their experiences today. After gan and pre-gan this AM, we had an open discussion with social service leaders from Ashkelon to ask them how they do what they do - it led us to determine we need to begin to ask our own questions of what we want to accomplish. Then we went on home visits - we actually were invited in the homes of olim and in their words told us their experiences. my visit consisted of a father and his family of 5. the wife was out working and she told him to make us feel at home. he was a true olim success. he emigrated in 1984 at the age of 18 and now has a nice home and a job. he proudly showed us his certificate of excellence from the hospital where he works, and his scrapnel souvineer from when he served in the israeli army. he made us all feel quite at home.

some aren't so lucky, yet. one group saw a 24 year old single mother in an apartment without heat and a 6 month old baby. that group was stunned - but even moreso by JDC's response of that they will make sure the woman receives the services she needs. just like that. she potentially goes from despair to salvation thru JDC and PACT. just imagine what such a response can do at home?

we ended the evening with a chanukah show by the neighborhood kids - pact and locals alike. it was full of enthusiasm, parental involvement and of course cute songs. i saw how our reactions, our support, and our involvement makes a true difference. our group was quite moved - so much so, that blogging truly doesn't do it justice, but professional lives were changed today.

sure, sounds a bit dramatic, but i saw it with my eyes and its witnessed by a delegation of 16 professionals from baltimore looking to make a difference, but learning a whole lot in the process that they didn't bargain for.

keep reading - as i process this and share pictures and stories, maybe a part of it will begin to translate and make sense to you the reader.

Kindergarten in Ashkelon

2008-12-10T02:22:00.001-08:00

Shal chevit kindergartners always share the best story and food. Had sufiganot (donuts) for chanukah. PACT once again provides the program enhancement iin the classroom - 3 olim required literacy and language enhancement taught by a pact instructor, but the whole class benefits because a 4th student - non ethiopian israeli olim - needed it as well and is able to improve her language and literacy due to pact's presence.

Its wonderful to see the partnership and ancillary benefits derived from having a pact partnership with a community.

Being in shal chevit's class was just like being in my own twins' class. Parental involvement was key - today the father of one of the boys was invited to cut the dabbah (bread) and share with the class. He was given the honor (and of course, like our kindergarteners, his little boy was equally embarrassed and clingy in his presence). The father, a proud olim, was very happy to be a part of the activity

Nissim, one of the boys, gave me some art to take home, which will hang proudly in my office next to my kids' art.

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Experiences between parents: Ethiopian Olim observations

2008-12-09T09:36:00.001-08:00

Sitting in a riveting meeting in Netanya today. An Ethiopian-Jewish olim is sharing with us his experience (his peers) as a parent going thru absorption and PACT.

Most telling aspect is his point to preserve identity as to who they are as Ethiopians.

Most interesting, however, are the same concerns and strategies that we all use in social service delivery.

We shared ideas, saw more adorable children and their parents participating in programs all made possible or augmented by PACT.

The greatest moment of the day came during our reflections at the end of the day. Much of what we were seeing, the ethiopian-jewish experience, shared challenges all clicked. Steve Fink, my rabbi and my friend, summed it all up for our crowd of jewish and non jewish delegates as to why this was all done - because its about Jews helping other Jews. No matter where they live, what color their skin, their level of need, that's what we do, that's what JDC does, and that's why $30mm is raised by Baltimore Jews annually to support world Jewry. And although this isn't a "jewish" mission per se, the reason as to why such a life saving misson was undertaken became evident and then the group understood how and why this would work. I wish we had recorded it. All were extremely moved.

Tomorrow we visit olim in their homes in ashkelon.

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The kids always steal the show

2008-12-08T09:13:00.001-08:00

What a whirlwind of a day. Today the group met the original and most established PACT program in Beersheva. They are confident, committed, not afraid to share their missteps nor to tout their successes (somethings we all can learn from).

The most telling portion of the day was in the previous post - that everyone will be successful and from an academic perspective they use pact methodology with all students. And from the students we saw at the givim school they really were one beautiful melting pot of kids. They danced, sang, played music, showed us science experiments, spoke great english and smiled for the camera. Another great group of ethiopian olim (immigrants) met us at the end of the day in their community room while they were making chanuka menorahs. They displayed beautiful crafts, fine coffee and food and their bright smiles. Photos to be posted soon.

Its too early to tell, but I think one of the reasons for pact's success here is the immense amount of interagency cooperation and the fact that social services is not an afterthought or cooperator, but seemingly a fully integrated partner (another lesson). That makes much of their work and case load possible.

They've even realized their need to tackle abuse - I haven't heard much on sexual abuse yet, but seeing spikes of domestic violence, pact along with community leadership (yet another lesson) collaborated and seem to have reduced the problem greatly. I requested #s which should be forthcoming. Imagine if we could show thru PACT that we can reduced abuse by comprehensive and holistic services for the whole family? Educational, workforce development, community engagement - it could be remarkable. Stay tuned.

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School children in Beer Sheva

2008-12-08T04:14:00.001-08:00

Vsited a community school this morning in Beer Sheva which has the oldest implementation of pact in israel.

This school was wonderful - like looking at one our schools back home but with nothing but hebrew on the walls and hebrew speaking polite well educated children.

Liora, the principal, took the philosphy with pact that it should be applied to everyone, not just the olim. To that end they asked does everybody has to be excellent? Yes, we decided every child will be excellent.

Pact was inculcated throughout entire school - not just ethiopian olim and as a result their standards exceed other schools throughout israel and their olim students are just as adapted to their grade as the rest of the class.

The students performed dance and music for us and smiled for the camera. It was a warm wonderful community school and very proud.

Adam

Why Israel? Why PACT

2008-12-06T16:22:00.001-08:00

Answeing the obvious question (as I'm between flights in Newark) - why israel and why PACT? PACT was launched in 1998 in an effort to address the growing educational crisis within the ethiopian-israeli community by reducing the academic and social gaps between ethiopian-israeli children and their veteran israeli peers.

Holisitcally, pact (parents and children together) provides a comprehensive educational and community services for eth-israeli preschoolers, while at the same time offering targeted training and support to their parents, the community and local educators and service providers. These efforts are made possible by collaborations between jdc, north american jewish federations, local israeli municipalities, and the ethiopian-israeli community. The outcomes have been most impressive with significant improvement seen in most areas of achievement and gaps reduced between populations.

In 2004-05 over 8700 ethiopian-israeli children aged birth to 9 were impacted by pact along with over 3800 parents in specialized programs designed for them.

The East Baltimore Redevelopment Project, spearheaded by the east baltimore development inc (www.ebdi.org) is seeking to stabilize and revitalize east baltimore by transforming a once vibrant neighborhood into a healthier thriving community again for families and children. This redevelopment is working in conjunction with the massive 88 acre, $1.8 billion re-development efforts of that neighborhood.

Having seen the great success of pact in numerous communities in israel, ebdi wishes to learn from the successes and shortcomings of pact and how it can be replicated.

More to come.

Adam

Dispatches from Israel

2008-12-05T20:07:00.001-08:00

I've been lucky enough to be invited to join a delegation of 12 brilliant people traveling to Israel tomorrow to study JDC's PACT program for use with the East Baltimore Development corporation's efforts.

I plan on posting thoughts and observations while over there - stay tuned and learn what I see as it happens.
Adam

Welcome

2008-12-05T19:17:00.000-08:00

So here it is, the first post in an informal dialogue and forum on how we all can best advocate on behalf of Baltimore's children - first and foremost in preventing sexual child abuse and in bettering their lives as a whole.

We are the Baltimore Child Abuse Center (www.BaltimoreChildAbuseCenter.org) and for 20 years we've been fighting to make sure that when a child reports sexual child abuse, she or he is listened to, gets the attention and treatment they need and begin the process of healing. We are a not for profit 501c3 designed to act rapidly and work on behalf of families experiencing trauma.

Here at this blog we intend to take the conversation public - get people to start talking about how we begin to end abuse; provide solutions and ideas; provoke discussion; change attitudes.

At this page we'll post articles, discussions, links, strategies, and information about organizations. It's a call to action for you the reader to become an advocate as well. We want it to be current, written by all of us at BCAC - staff, board, partners, and families. It may have typos and be more stream of consciousness, but that's web 2.0 and we want to be a part of the discussion.

This is a companion piece to our webpage and we intend to link back and forth between the two.

If you don't know BCAC, check out our site. If you don't realize abuse is happening to children, right now, start reading and begin to do something about it. Now.