No one wants to have to think about the horrors that exist in our world. Especially when it comes to children.

Sadly, terrible things do happen to children everyday in Lexington County.

That’s why the Dickerson Children’s Advocacy Center is so important to our community.

The Dickerson CAC is a non-profit agency that “coordinates child protection personnel, law enforcement and prosecution professionals, medical experts, family advocates and mental health clinicians under one roof.”

They serve over 500 children and vulnerable adults annually.

The Dickerson CAC provides a safe place for victims of abuse to tell their stories and receive the help they need. For abuse victims, the trauma often continues after the act of abuse stops.

Children may have to retell their experiences over and over to parents, law enforcement, doctors, and counsellors, says Executive Director Carol Yarborough. This can cause them to question and change their story, or shut down completely.

At the DCAC, they don’t have to go through that furthering trauma. All services are provided in one place.

This Spring, staff conducted forensic interviews for 2 young siblings after one disclosed they were living with chronic sexual abuse at the hands of a close relative. The situation was immediately reported to DSS and Law enforcement.

Both girls now receive counseling at DCAC and are doing extremely well with their trauma treatment. Their caregiver also receives treatment sercies at DCAC. It is the ultimate method for helping families recover and reduce further trauma, says Yarborough.

It’s not just victims of sexual abuse. The DCAC assists those struggling with severe maltreatment , those who have witnessed extreme violence, and human trafficking. For these victims help is free. A portion of the costs are covered throught the Victims of Crime Act Grant.

The grant helps cover the $5.9 million in medical costs associated with maltreatment every year.

The DCAC aims to raise awareness about the ongoing social issues that face our county more each year.

1 in 10 children will experience sexual abuse or assault in their childhood, and a third will never tell anyone.

For more information about how to recognize the signs of abuse, addiction, human trafficking, or to get more information on the center itself, please view their website http://www.dickersoncac.org/