By: Jinger Robins and Ginger Gilbert

The mission of SafePath is to reduce the trauma of children and families surrounding allegations of child sexual and severe physical abuse with a comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach.

A two-part “Wes Side Story” series about SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center, located in Marietta, was aired on 11Alive News in May, hosted by veteran newscaster Wes Sarginson. The story focused on one of the innocent children served by SafePath.

Unfortunately both the child and her mother had been abused by the mother’s husband. Being careful to not reveal their identities, Wes Sarginson interviewed them and asked about their experience. The child had been sexually abused since the age of five by her stepfather. At the age of nine, she finally found the courage to tell what was happening to her. She explained to Mr. Sarginson that she had a very good reason for telling, “I felt it was the right thing to do because I could have stopped him from doing it to anybody else in our family, like my niece.”

Mr. Sarginson interviewed SafePath’s Director of Services, as he toured the center. She described how in this case the stepfather was determined to have control over the family. She talked about how mothers often are not aware of their children’s abuse and shared how important support services to the caregivers are once children do disclose. “I don’t know what we would have done if there was no SafePath because I didn’t know how to talk to her…,” said the mother.

You can view this broadcast by clicking on the 11Alive News link below or copying the address into your browser:

http://www.11alive.com/video/player.aspx?aid=52490&bw

In Wes’ blog about this segment he writes,

“In Cobb County alone, more than 1,100 cases of child abuse were handled by SafePath last year. This is a model program for our nation. It’s not the kind of place where kids who are getting abused are treated with disbelief. When they tell their stories, the detectives are right there -- sitting on the tiny stools in a playroom setting, listening to stories that must turn their stomachs.”

The funding that SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center, Inc. receives from Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) is vital to the work our organization does to reduce the trauma that children and their non-offending caregivers experience when they go through the process surrounding allegations of abuse.

PSSF funds allow SafePath to offer Critical Support Services in a variety of ways to our clients at no charge. Individual and group therapy for the child victim is crucial to his/her recovery of the traumatic abuse that was suffered. SafePath’s professional therapists work with the children in reducing the trauma; reducing recovery time; restoring healthy self-esteem; restoring a sense of belonging; recapturing hope; reclaiming childhood; and reassuring the children understand that the abuse is not their fault. SafePath also offers therapy for the whole family.

When a family has been affected by abuse, the road to full recovery can be long and difficult. To ensure these challenges are met, SafePath has developed critical services, which include parenting education classes that address their special needs. These classes educate the family in the areas of stress management; appropriate discipline; and safety & assertiveness for the child. The goal is to equip the caregiver with the skills necessary to provide a safe and stable family environment so that the family can heal.