Saved by Zero

Hey! It’s that time of year again, Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. It’s a shame that I have to keep reminding people about these issues, but they just won’t go away. It seems that no matter how many schools we are in or how many thousands of lives we touch, we can’t dispose of child abuse &/or sexual abuse.

Licking County has a relatively high rate of child abuse. A very large concentration of registered sex offenders appear as Licking County residents. Most victims of sexual assault, 90%, know their attacker. Fortunately, Mental Health America has two programs specifically designed to help reduce this violence. For preschools and elementary schools we offer the Child Abuse Prevention Program (CAPP). Once students reach middle school we offer the Prevent Assault & Violence Education (PAVE) program. Not only is this available to middle schools, but it offers programming for high schools, community groups and colleges. Afterschool clubs are offered to the schools as well, to talk about issues that may be directly related to their community.

And when it comes to community, we mean all of Licking County. This weekend, there is a free community event on Saturday. This is the 5th Annual Peacemakers’ Showcase & it’s open to everyone. From 2-5 p.m., students from all over will meet at Premier Martial Arts at 104 E Main Street. They will share messages of anti-violence in drama (Licking Heights Central Middle School 8th grade VIP Club performing Bang Bang You’re Dead by William Mastrosimone), poetry, song, video, & static displays. There are raffles to help raise money for the program, including a great gift bag from Mariska Hargitay of television’s Law & Order: SVU (including a dvd set of its fifth season). While we are all about empowering others, we are also about staying safe. Premier will supply free self-defense classes to children (2:00-5:00), teens age 13-18 (3:00-4:00) & women over 18 (4:00-5:00) during the afternoon.

To end the celebration, the group will transition to the gazebo on the Courthouse Square for a Take Back the Night Rally after 5:00. The Licking County Clothesline Project will be on display and the community is invited to add shirts to the line. This project honors those who have endured sexual assault or gender violence. Speakers will share their stories & special guest Theresa Flores will speak at 6:00 to educate those in attendance about sexual trafficking. Flores endured two years as a sex slave while in high school in the Detroit area. Her family moved away her senior year, saving her from the gang that controlled her life. Copies of her book, The Sacred Bath, will be on sale. Following her speech, the event will conclude with a candlelight march around the courthouse.

Please don’t think that you or your family is immune from these issues. Theresa came from a two parent, affluent home, was attractive, involved in church and school. Many children or teens in our community fit that description, too. Yet she was a victim. How many of our children are victims? No matter what that number is, we want it to become 0.

Please join us Saturday as we celebrate the many young people who are doing great things in our schools and communities. Maybe even thank them for speaking out against violence of all kinds. Most importantly, share our message with your children. I have.

-- Jan GreenRiver
Dir. of Programs & Prevention