Friday, October 27, 2023 | Noon – 10 PM
Market Square | Fredericksburg
In 2022, more than 52,894 children were involved as possible victims of abuse in reports made to the Virginia Department of Social Services. For the children involved in these reports, the nightmare is far from over. After suffering physically and emotionally scarring abuse—often for years, and more often than not at the hands of someone they know—abused children often experience a sense of shame and guilt as a result of victimization.
The child advocacy movement is based on the belief that the response system must focus on the needs of the child and non-offending caregiver and is most effective when the skills of multiple agencies are coordinated. Safe Harbor coordinates multidisciplinary investigative teams in a centralized, child-friendly setting; employs specially-trained forensic interviewers and advocates; and assists children and non-offending caregivers in obtaining medical, therapeutic, and advocacy services.
On October 27, for 10 consecutive hours, our community will gather to acknowledge by name and age the more than 8,500 child victims of alleged sexual or physical abuse that occurred in our own 6 local jurisdictions and others for which we provided courtesy interviews in the single year of 2022.
To protect children’s identities, we will not reveal a child’s real name, but will substitute ‘Jane Doe’ or ‘John Doe’ for all 8,585 names, reminding our community that there are real children and real experiences behind each name, and that Safe Harbor and its partners stand up and fight for them.
Consider supporting SAVE JANE through a sponsorship that will allow Safe Harbor to continue to bring voice, hope, and healing to our community’s children and place them on a path to justice.
You may also call 540-891-6280
