With April being Child Abuse Awareness Month, an all-day Child Abuse Awareness Conference is set for this coming Thursday (April 27th) at the Danville Area Community College Bremer Center. It will be co-hosted by the Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center and the Survivor Resource Center, and will run from 8:30 to 4:30. Advocacy Center Executive Director Brooke Ferber says the idea has been to bring in professionals, with real life experiences, from all over the country; such as the day’s first speaker, author Regina Calcaterra.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: She’s a child abuse survivor. She’s an attorney in New York, and she can bring her side of the story about how she lived in poverty and abuse, and her struggles in the system. But how she superseded all of that.
The Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center, at 200 College Street, Danville; in the Vermilion Co Health Department building; began operations in 2021, and officially cut the ribbon in October, 2021.
A special Justice Panel at 10:15 will include law enforcement and DCFS personnel, and a Prevention Educator from Vandalia, Illinois; Michelle Denault.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: But she’s a survivor of child sexual assault and grooming. Which is building trust in that person, and making them feel special, and providing them with things that maybe they’re not getting from their family section. So they groom that person to start having a relationship with them.
Residents are welcome to stop by at any time of day for any portion of the program. Food will be provided by the DACC Culinary Arts Department. Please register ahead of time if you can by going to Eventbrite, and putting in “2023 Child Abuse Awareness Conference.”
The Vermilion County Child Advocacy Center is approaching two years in operation. Located in the Vermilion County Health Department building at 200 College Street, the center allows children to testify about what happened to them in a child friendly setting, and have that testimony allowable in court.
