The University of Illinois CAST program features a simulation lab exemplifying the critical importance of simulation training for child protection professionals. Zero Abuse Project has been instrumental in implementing 74 CAST programs across the country, many of which have similar simulation laboratories.
State Senators Paul Boyer and Heather Carter were joined by the Zero Abuse Project, including Bridie Farrell, child sex abuse survivor and advocate, and Joelle Casteix, Zero Abuse Project board member and survivor; Dawn Penich-Thacker, from the SOS Arizona Network; Janine Menard, board of directors, Arizona School Counselor Association; and Justin Maudner, Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, to discuss the new Arizona Child Protection Act (AZCPA).
Zero Abuse Project CEO Jeff Dion today released the following statement regarding Safe Horizon launching a public awareness campaign and PSA series to inform child sex abuse survivors in New York of their new rights under the Child Victims Act.
Zero Abuse Project CEO Jeff Dion today released the following statement regarding Safe Horizon launching a public awareness campaign and PSA series to inform child sex abuse survivors in New York of their new rights under the Child Victims Act.
The Child Protection Training Academy at the University of Illinois Springfield held a Project FORECAST training event designed to demonstrate best practices for frontline professionals when responding to a maltreatment scenario in a hospital setting.
This sort of educational experience helps CAST students and frontline child protection professionals better realize the dynamics of child maltreatment casework in a simulated environment so that they can be better prepared for responding to similar cases in the real world.
Zero Abuse Project CEO Jeff Dion today issued the following statement regarding a new lawsuit filed against the Boy Scouts of America which identifies 350 alleged child sex predators who do not already appear in the Boy Scouts’ internal disciplinary files.
We applaud the New York State Assembly and Governor Cuomo for the passage and signing of S.5444/A.7515. Address confidentiality for survivors of sex abuse, sex trafficking, and stalking is a basic right, and provides the survivors of these crimes both physical safety and the mental security they deserve.
New York State’s Child Victims Act Goes into Effect August 14 When a One-Year Window Opens for Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse to File Civil Suits Regardless of When the Abuse Occurred
HUDSON, NY (July 31, 2019) — Bridie Farrell, CEO of NY Loves Kids today issued the following statement: “In a Senate subcommittee hearing in April of 2018, I said, ‘For many children it is impossible to disclose molestation or rape, because we do not, and they do not have the vocabulary. I did not learn that [at 15 years old] being molested by a 33-year-old man was a crime until I was at Cornell University. I was 27 years old.’ “Today I celebrate a breakthrough in the effort to stop child sexual abuse, especially in sport. “Survivors of child sexual abuse within the Olympic movement are finally being heard with the introduction of the Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019. It is the first of many steps toward ending the status quo within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Washington, D.C. (July 19, 2019) – Zero Abuse Project CEO Jeff Dion issued the following statement today regarding Judge James Troiano’s resignation and new mandatory sexual violence training for all state judges in New Jersey. We applaud the New Jersey judicial system’s first steps towards restoring itself in the eyes of the public as an unbiased and fair civic institution.
July 15th, 2019 (New York). Zero Abuse Project CEO Jeffrey R. Dion today stressed the role of New York’s new Child Victims Act in helping to keep children safe from sexual abuse and ensuring survivors can seek justice in light of the recent arrest of Jeffrey Epstein on charges of sex trafficking.
Jeff Dion, the CEO of the Zero Abuse Project, led a presentation detailing several facts about the new Child Victims Act. He spoke about how the culture of negligence within some institutions has to end and should be replaced by one of disclosure.
This year’s recipient of The Marguerite Elliott Innovation in Clinical Medical Education Award is Melissa Renee Stephens, MD, FAAFP, Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences & Director of Graduate Medical Education and Population Health at William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCUCOM), for her innovation titled: ‘Implementation of Child Advocacy Studies Training (CAST) in Medical Education.’
“By opening a ‘window to justice’ and allowing survivors whose cases were previously barred by [statutes of limitations] to be heard in court, important information can be exposed that can help create safer, more informed communities.”
One of the jobs that the Department of Children and Family Services is tasked with is making sure children are safe. In order to do this job, DCFS investigators have to enter the homes of people accused of horrible crimes.
The legislation allows child victims to sue up until they turn 55 or within seven years of their first realization that the abuse caused them harm. The current statute of limitations is age 20 or two years after first realizing the abuse caused harm.
The Boy Scouts have kept files going back decades showing that nearly 8,000 volunteers have been excluded from the organization because they had been accused of sexually abusing children, according to a review by an expert on child sexual abuse.
Two years ago, Maryland lawmakers made it easier for adults sexually abused as children to sue institutions that harbored predators. They may have also irreversibly granted some immunity to the Catholic Church. A provision tucked into a 2017 law now stands in the way of Maryland joining a nationwide effort to bring justice to victims who come to terms with childhood abuse when they reach middle age and, for decades, have had no recourse in civil courts.
The explosive documentaries “Leaving Neverland” and “Surviving R. Kelly” have reignited a national conversation about child sex abuse.
Federal prosecutors, under former Miami U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta, broke the law when they concealed a plea agreement from more than 30 underage victims who had been sexually abused by wealthy New York hedge fund manager Jeffrey Epstein, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
Talking to Children: Scary News A high profile case in your community can leave parents feeling panicked and helpless. It is important to remember that children respond to your tone and your unspoken messages. Instead of having your children worry about the unknown of what is being unsaid, this is a good time to reinforce safety rules and see if
Empower Me My Safety Rules: For Children For Teens For Children Check First with a parent, guardian or babysitter before Accepting a ride Accepting a gift Going into a house Having your photo taken Use the buddy system! Play and stay with friends. Find 5 trusted adults to talk to about any problem or worry. They could be your parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches,
Age Appropriate Conversations It’s important to talk to your children often and consistently about how to stay safe. But how you do have effective conversations, from which children absorb valuable information that they may need later? Make sure the information you deliver is easily understood for your child’s stage of development. Toddler Teach your toddler: Their name and guardian’s name
Talk About Touches Children deserve to be safe and healthy. Talking to your child about touches builds trust and opens conversations to create safe, healthy relationships. Have a conversation with your child about body safety rules: Teach correct names for all body parts including private parts. Establish private parts are different from the rest of their body. Reinforce for your
How to Talk to Strangers Not all strangers mean danger If your child got separated from you in public, would they know how to seek out a stranger for help or would they wait until they were approached? Children should be taught how to talk to strangers so that they know how to get help when they need it. Teach
Zero Abuse Project is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to the elimination of child sexual abuse. Our programs are designed to provide training and education to professionals and students, and to help transform institutions to effectively prevent, recognize, and respond to child sexual abuse.
