By Joyce Prusak,
Executive director of Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center
I’d like to thank the Tullahoma community for joining our quest to become a society free of child abuse. Tullahoma organizations and businesses have embraced our mission to fight child abuse by preventing trauma and providing healing.
We launched the Join Our Quest campaign to engage the community and raise awareness of child abuse. We asked organizations to display our poster and we posted pictures on social media. Participants include the Tullahoma Police Department, Tullahoma Mayor’s Office, Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce, C.D. Stamps Community Center, D.W. Wilson Community Center and Coffee County Lannom Library. You can see pictures on Instagram and Facebook.
The confidential nature of child abuse cases and the stigma related to sexual child abuse have led to lack of awareness in our community. We need the help of local organizations to inform the community about the problem related to child abuse.
Join Our Quest initiative invites community members to raise awareness by displaying the Coffee County CAC’s poster and posting a picture on social media. We’d like to thank everyone who displayed our poster.
I’d like to ask community members, organizations and businesses to join our quest and display our poster. Please call us at 931-723-8888 and ask for our poster.
Join our quest by raising awareness
The Coffee County CAC fights child abuse in Tullahoma. In 2020, of the 347 referrals received for services in Coffee County, 40% of the children were 6 years old or younger, 36% between the ages of 7 and 12, and 24% were between 13 and 18. Child abuse could affect any family, church or community. Data show that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys will experience sexual abuse by the age of 18. With the confidential nature of child abuse cases, raising awareness is challenging and vital. Stigma, misconception and lack of awareness lead to the continuing cycle of child abuse. You can help by displaying our poster; following the Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center on social media; learning about child abuse and its effects on www.coffeecountycac.org; attending the center’s events.
Join our quest by investing in your community
Join our quest to a healthier society by donating to the center. Not only would breaking the cycle of child abuse lead to fewer victims but it would lead to a healthier society. According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, 14% of all men in prison and 36% of women in prison in USA were abused as children. Children who experience child abuse are nine times more likely to become involved in criminal activity.
Join our quest by learning to spot red flags and reporting child abuse
Learn to recognize possible indicators of abuse and neglect. State law mandates anyone suspicious of child abuse to report it. If you suspect child abuse, call 877-237-0004. You can report suspicions of child abuse anonymously. In 2020, in Coffee County, there were 4 investigations involving the death of a child; 244 investigations involving sexual abuse allegations; 333 total severe child abuse investigations.