ARDMORE, Okla. ―Across the country, April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, and while one local organization says it's doing it's best to put an end to the crime, the number of cases is on the rise locally. Daniel Armbruster has more.
The economy is being blamed for a lot of problems. Now those trying to protect children facing harm say hard economic times may be claiming young ones as victims.
"People are under a lot of stress right now, and they go home and they take their frustrations out on their kids. We have seen an increase in the physical examinations that we're doing," C-SARA executive director Sissy Burge says.
Crisis Report and Research Organization, or C-SARA, is an organization that teams up with law enforcement to interview children facing possible abuse. Executive director Sissy Burge says children come into their facility almost every day.
"When we get them they are so bad, and the trauma has been going on for so long, so an early intervention in the case is key," Burge says.
Technology inside of C-SARA's facilities allows multiple agencies to watch as a child is questioned by one forensic interviewer. This saves the child from extra trauma and allows all agencies to work the case simultaneously.
"The child can come here for one stop services," Burge says.
Burge says nearly 60 children have sat in the interview room since the beginning of this year. The nonprofit organization is scheduled to hold a poker tournament and bike ride this Saturday to help offset the costs of running C-SARA.
"We’re going to ride the five counties that we serve, which is Carter, Love, Johnston, Murray, and Marshall counties, and we're going to visit the five agencies that a child would normally visit during the investigation."
Organizers say the money raised will help C-SARA continue to raise awareness about a crime that claims the most innocent as victims.
C/SARA April Calendar
April 4th ~ Poker Run
We will visit all five counties that utilizes the services while education them on the benefits of the Child Advocacy Center.
April 13th ~ Ribbon Tie @ 2-4pm during happy hour @ Sonic on Commerce
This will be time to decorate your car with a blue magnetic ribbon to show your support of child abuse efforts in our community.
April 27th ~ C/SARA Open House
We will host an Open House to showcase our Child Advocacy Center and the services we provide to all five counties…Carter, Johnston, Murray, Love & Marshall
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