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Turn the Light OnTurn the Light On logo

A Community Advocacy Project of Shepherd's Counseling Services

Join us for our Turn the Light On community rally: September 2012 (event date and more information available spring 2012).

In October of 2010, Shepherd's Counseling Services began a community advocacy project called Turn the Light On to end the sexual abuse of children and to increase an environment of support for adult survivors through knowledge and community action.

Child sexual abuse is an epidemic problem and we have the power to create cultural change together, to bring this betrayal of children out of the shadows and silence that protects perpetrators and bring it into the light to protect our children.

Who is affected by sexual abuse of children?

  • There are at least 40 million adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the U.S. today.
  • 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before their 18th birthday.
  • Children across socio-economic and ethnic groups are sexually abused.
  • Over two-thirds (67%) of all victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement agencies were juveniles (under the age of 18 at the time of the crime).*
  • One of every seven victims of sexual assaults (14% of all victims reported to law enforcement agencies) were under age 6.*

Men and women who sexually abuse children most commonly tell the child to keep it a secret, and sometimes threaten the child not to tell. They also confuse the child by taking time to slowly gain the child's trust and act like a friend through a process of grooming. To learn more about how to protect our communities' children, visit our Learn More page.

Your voice makes a difference! Talk about child sexual abuse to bring it out of the shadows and into the light. We can create a culture where these secrets that hurt children will be difficult to begin or keep. Ending the silence is the first thing we can all do to protect all children.

Feel free to share the information in this pdf document to inform people in your community: Turn the Light On childhood sexual abuse awareness handout.

Find us on Facebook at Shepherd's Counseling Services and Turn the Light On Childhood Sexual Abuse for current information.

SAVE-THE-DATE for September 2012 (event date to be announced spring of 2012) for the second Turn the Light On event!

* U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics Report July 2000 (http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/saycrle.pdf)

Volunteer Opportunities

Shepherd's Counseling Services relies on volunteers to:

  • Serve on the Board of Directors.
  • Advise the agency on financial, accounting, marketing, public relations and legal matters.
  • Help us put on events and educational forums.

Shepherd's welcomes and appreciates donated pro bono professional services. This helps us stretch our funds to provide services for those in need.

  • Graphic design:
    • eNewsletter template creation
    • Bi-annual print newsletter
    • Printed cards for different occasions
  • Public/media relations
    • Increase Shepherd's presence in the news/media
  • Printing services:
    • Newsletters
    • Annual reports
    • Letterhead, Business Cards, etc.

If you are interested in volunteering or providing pro-bono services, please email info@shepherdstherapy.org or call (206) 321-2684 and ask for Jill Armitage.