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Community Corner

YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties Hosts Stewards of Children Training, February 11

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Workshop is Part of State-Wide Initiative to Help Protect Children from Sexual Abuse

According to experts, one in 10 children - or 400,000 each year - will experience child sexual abuse before their 18th birthday. In an effort to rid the world of child sexual abuse, the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties, with the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance, has joined forces with Darkness to Light, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization and creators of the award-winning Stewards of Children™ child sexual abuse prevention curriculum to educate adults in the community on how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.

Through the initiative, the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties is offering a Stewards of Children® child sexual abuse prevention training, open to adults in the community on Tuesday, February 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Mt. Laurel YMCA, located at 59 Centerton Road in Mt. Laurel.

The two-hour, evidence-based program is designed to increase knowledge, improve attitudes and change child protective behaviors. Darkness to Light training covers a 5-step action plan: learn the facts (1 in 10 children are sexually abused. Over 90% know their abuser); minimize opportunity (eliminate or reduce isolated, one-on-one situations to decrease risk for abuse); talk about it (have open conversations with children about our bodies, sex and boundaries); recognize the signs (know the signs of abuse to protect children from further harm); and react responsibly (understand how to respond to suspicions or reports of sexual abuse).

Cost for participation in Stewards of Children child sexual abuse prevention training is $10 per person. Continuing education credits for professionals in various fields can be obtained through this training.  

To help the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties end child sexual abuse or for more about Stewards of Children workshops, contact Dana Collins, 856.234.6200 x227 or danac@ymca-bc.org.  To register online, visit http://bit.ly/1j48TB3.

About the Y

The YMCA of Burlington & Camden Counties is a cause-driven, community based, charitable nonprofit organization that strengthens community by building healthy, confident, connected and secure children, adults and families.   With a focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y nurtures the potential of every youth and teen, improves the community's health and well-being and provides opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Throughout neighborhoods across the two counties and its 50+ sites, the Y makes accessible the support and opportunities that empower more than 30,000 people each year to learn, grow and thrive. Visit ymca-bc.org.

About Darkness to Light (D2L)

Darkness to Light (D2L) has championed the movement to end child sexual abuse (CSA) since its founding in 2000. With affiliates in all 50 U.S. states and 16 additional countries, D2L provides individuals, organizations, and communities with the tools to protect children from sexual abuse. To date, the D2L network of 6,000 authorized facilitators has trained over 500,000 parents, youth serving professionals, and organization volunteers in D2L’s award-winning Stewards of Children® child sexual abuse prevention program. For more information, please visit www.D2L.org/Stewards.

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