Walking to fight child sexual abuse

By Alia Wilson
Posted: 04/05/2009 01:30:11 AM PDT

WATSONVILLE -- The black-and-white photos of victims of child sexual abuse put faces on the problem, and their stories drove the point home during the third annual walk to Stop the Silence on Saturday.

In recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month, the Survivors Healing Center in collaboration with Bikers Against Child Abuse, Si Se Puede, Santa Cruz Residential Recovery and the Commission for the Prevention of Violence Against Women organized the walk to take aim at the stigma of child sexual abuse.

"It's a difficult topic to get people to talk about because people tend to feel shame," said Maria Rodriguez-Castillo, walk organizer and Survivors Healing Center board of directors member. "The goal here is to increase awareness and to continue to increase awareness."

Nearly 200 participants crowded the City Plaza, where information on how to prevent future violence and abuse was provided by several organizations.

Watsonville's Women's Crisis Support/Defensa de Mujeres Executive Director Laura Segura said there is a strong connection between domestic violence cases and child sexual abuse.

"Many child abuse victims are re-victimized when they grow up," Segura said. "Children who grow up in homes with domestic violence are eight times more likely to be the victims of sexual abuse within that family."

With April being Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month, as well as Sexual Assault Awareness month, Segura said the
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walk was both to honor the survivors of sexual abuse who "bravely broke the silence" as well as increasing awareness of the issue.

"This is the best turnout I've seen since this walk started, which is indicative of the community outreach efforts to prevent this crime," Segura said.

Watsonville Mayor Antonio Rivas presented a proclamation recognizing the event for reaching its third year, and the efforts of agencies involved to prevent child abuse in the community.

"We must work together to protect our community, to protect our children because they are our future," Rivas said. "This walk is very important for the city because at the same time we are dealing with child abuse ... we are providing support for the victims. Because this event informs people about child abuse, they are then able to report it."

According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, one out of three girls and one out of six boys are sexually abused by the age of 18.

How To help

To donate to the Survivors Healing Center visit survivorshealingcenter.org