GREAT FALLS – One in 10 children will experience sexual abuse by the time they’re 18 years old, and 90 percent of those kids know their abuser, according to the abuse prevention group “Darkness to Light.”
The Dandelion Foundation in Great Falls is taking steps to change those statistics by providing the community an opportunity for free sexual abuse prevention training.
In August, Great Falls community members will attend a training seminar in Georgia called “Darkness to Light Stewards of Children.” When they return, they’ll be prepared to offer the training to people in Great Falls.
The free, two-hour session will center around five steps of sexual abuse prevention including: knowing the facts, minimizing opportunity, communicating with kids, recognizing signs and red flags, and responsibly reacting and reporting abuse.
“Let’s empower ourselves. That’s what this program is all about, is empowering each other, knowing what the problem is, understanding the facts, getting the information and resources, and empowering one another to do something about it,” explained Dandelion Foundation president Katie Cunningham.
Cunningham says the Dandelion Foundation will provide training to anyone who interacts with children including daycares, church groups, schools and more. You can contact the Dandelion Foundation to schedule a training for your group.
Schedule a training session by emailing the Dandelion Foundation: gfdandelionfoundation@gmail.com
Learn more about the Dandelion Foundation here: https://dandelionfoundation.org/
Learn more about “Darkness to Light” here: https://www.d2l.org/
-Reported by Shannon Newth/MTN News
