Our Zoom program last Friday, May 8th was Anne Ewalt, Community Engagement Prevention Education at Dawson Place. Today's topics included How Dawson Place helps child abuse victims using the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) model. Conversations continued about the Covid-19 impact and what we can do to prevent Child Sexual Abuse and help those who are being abused. Important to note that our world deserves and needs the brilliance and talents of all of our children. All people especially children have a right to fully develop, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. All children have a right to grow up in a nurturing environment as well as a carefree and safe childhood. When this doesn't happen and kids experience sexual abuse, physical abuse and other traumas, than there is Dawson's Place.
Dawson's Place is dedicated to helping kids, seeking justice and promoting healthy families. Using the CAC model which is nationally accredited in the United States by the National Children's Alliance. There are 850 accredited CAC's in Washington State. The CAC model helps victims tell what happened fewer times which reduces retraumatizing, increases healing rates and increases prosecution rates.
Dawson Place has a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) with members from all disciplines including law enforcement, prosecutors office and health care providers. Members work together in the best interest of the victim and they follow the cases through to completion. All resources under one roof. There is the Fish Room, a comforting and safe place where even the marine life are happy and safe. Another room is the Turtle Room donated by the generosity of the people of Snohomish County. Other critical services include the Providence Intervention Center for Assault and Abuse with forensic medical exams; 24 hours crisis hotline, ER response, Adult Counseling and Victim advocacy. Plus there are CCO Facility dogs trained in obedience, interactive and commands availability.
There is so much more that Dawson Place's provides especially with Covid-19 where the pandemic is deadly to children in a particular way...a perfect storm for child abuse. Across the nation, the Washington Post reports that child abuse reports have fallen since the virus arrived and in Washington, DC has seen a 62% drop in reports and in Snohomish County and King County a 50% drop in the reports to the CPS. But, experts know that child abuse has not declined. With children not in schools or childcare, many of the mandated reporters who are most likely to recognize signs of abuse and neglect are not having contact with children due to social distancing guidelines.
The cases that do not get resolved end up being much more serious with the children being seriously injured and come into the emergency departments and ICU. No one is there to watch over them and to speak up until its too late. There is so much more to tell but this will give you a broad overview of the Dawson Place and the very important role that the organizations plays in the life of abused and harmed children that we need to be more open to reporting to the hotline. Thanks so much Anne for sharing this information with our Club. Your organization does awesome work.