By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Leadership Northwest has partnered with the Northwest Missouri Children's Advocacy Task force for training to help curb the growing problem of child abuse.
Director of the Children's Advocacy Task Force Jackie Cochenour says child sexual abuse is a serious problem, and all you have to do is look at the facts to confirm that
"The facts are about one in ten children will experience child sexual abuse before their 18th birthday and that rate is staggering," Cochenour tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "In my belief and in many other beliefs child sexual abuse is the most prevalent health problem our children face today, and it has the most serious array of consequences."
Cochenour says those consequences not only affect those people as children, but most even carry it into their adult life.
Leadership Northwest and the task force will hold the Stewards of Children training course across northwest Missouri, the first being held at Northwest Missouri State University tomorrow.
Cochenour says while one in ten children suffer from abuse, there is also a large number that won't talk about their abuse. She says that's the biggest reason for this course.
"Because we know it is a huge health crisis that our children are facing, and I also want to make sure that we understand that we have to be all responsible for preventing it and it first starts by understanding that it is a problem," Cochenour explains. "We need to truly change the culture of conversation about abuse and diminish the stigma behind it."
Two other courses will be held through October with one at North Central Missouri College in Trenton on October 11th and one in Cameron at the First Baptist Church on October 25th
You can find more information about the training courses HERE. Registration is required for the training and can be discounted with the promo code LEADERS10.
Cochenour says she visits school districts across northwest Missouri to do sexual abuse prevention training with developmentally appropriate students between sixth and twelfth grade.
"When we go into those schools, I spend the entire day with the kids and I provide them with the opportunity to let us know if they need help," Cochenour says. "And, when I receive those notecards and when I'm meeting with the counselors that day and we're looking at those individuals who are outcrying or simply saying I need help today, my heart breaks every single time."
On the other hand, Cochenour says it also brings her joy because she knows the more it's talked about, the more those kids will get the help that they need.