Child abuse victims have champion in center
Blue ribbons, pinwheels, T-shirts and dedicated volunteers are drawing attention to National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Charlotte Webb, director of the Black Belt Regional Child Advocacy Center, Wednesday told Rotarians of the need for forensic interviews of children who are the victims of or witnesses to abuse and the continuing search for funds to keep the center open.
The BBRCAC began operations in January 2020. Since then, 108 children from the ages of 3 to 18 have met with trained interviewers, and 33 of them have received free counseling. The median age of clients is 13, and the majority are black females.
“It is so hard to comprehend the evil out there,” she said.
The BBRCAC serves the 17th Judicial Circuit, which includes Marengo, Sumter and Greene counties. Children from outside the area also have been interviewed, one even coming from Texas.
Until recently, the center had to call on an interviewer from Tuscaloosa. Now, however, former Demopolis Police Officer Monica Oliver has been qualified to conduct the delicate questioning sessions.
Often the center calls in one of the 20 facility dogs to help. The animals are trained to know when to provide comfort to the children with amazing results.
“If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Webb said.
Children who need medical exams now must be taken to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham where there are Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE). Webb has been working with Whitfield Regional Hospital in the hopes of one day offering those critical medical exams in Demopolis. To be certified as a SANE nurse takes time and money, which the center can’t afford.
The BBRCAC is located on North Strawberry Street in a building donated to the project by J.R. Rivas. Not having to pay rent helps to make ends meet, but the center still must pay the interviewers, facility dogs, medical exams, maintenance of the building, utilities and even snacks for the children.
To save money, Webb opens the building only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She applies for grants and relies heavily on donations from organizations and churches in the area. One of the goals Webb is trying to achieve is getting in the budget of every county and community in the circuit. So far Demopolis and Marengo County have come through.
The BBRCAC, a 501 (c)(3) organization, kicked off Child Abuse Awareness Month April 1 with a ceremony in the Public Square. To help with expenses, women of the United Methodist Church made blue bows they are selling, the center set up a booth at Rooster Day with T-shirts for sale, and tickets for a drawing are available for purchase through the month.