Keeping Kids Safe: Protecting The CSRA’s Most Precious Resource
Here in the CSRA, we tend to feel secure from a lot of the problems that plague bigger cities. We think we are keeping kids safe from some of the more extreme dangers. We have a sense of safety in knowing our neighbors and a feeling of security from things the rest of the country might worry about. But the some of those far off seeming dangers are happening right here in our small towns. Children in the CSRA are at risk of predators and in particular, of sexual abuse. According to City-data.com there were 541 registered sex offenders living in Augusta as of August 22, 2024. The state of Georgia ranks 38th for child wellbeing in the US, meaning an estimated 1 in 10 children will experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday. As shocking as those stats are, there are resources for parents looking to safeguard their most precious commodities.
You may not know where to turn to find the best ways to protect your children, but there are several local children’s advocacy groups coming together to offer parents and guardians a support system and guide to keeping kids safe from predators in our community.
Mama Bears and Papa Bears: Keeping Kids Safe
Child Enrichment is sponsoring a free virtual training event with Adrianne Simeone from the The Mama Bear Effect on September 5th from 6:30pm-8pm called “Breaking The Silence“. This session is for caregivers, parents, or anyone who wants to learn. There will be a presentation that will cover how to have difficult conversations with our children and help us learn more about protecting our children from abuse. Certificates will be provided after the training.
NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can call: 1-888-373-7888, you can text: 233733 or submit a tip online: https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/report-trafficking
To report trafficking in Georgia, you can call: 1-866-END-HTGA and simply *Press Option #1 to report a tip to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI)
