“Man charged with raping 6-year-old”

“Dad charged with incest”

Those two headlines from daily news reports at murfreesboropost.com last week were horrifying, infuriating and sadly all too common.

Hardly a week goes by without at least one news story of some pervert preying upon the most vulnerable of our populace, our children.

Even with their regularity, such news invariably prompts outrage, consternation and a feeling of helpless fury that we can’t literally strike back at those who commit such unconscionable acts against the most precious.

Right now, we can do something. We can’t get revenge that ultimately does nothing to resolve the question, but we can help provide assistance to victims which is much more important.

The Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford County will hold a major, new fundraiser Aug. 25 at the Sportsman’s Club in Murfreesboro where hopefully 5,000 rubber duckies will be set loose in the Stones River in a race for the charitable organization.

Cool, sunglass-wearing, yellow rubber ducks can be adopted for just $5 with the money to be used by the center to provide vital services to abused children and non-offending parents in our community.
Last year the center served 818 children and 316 parents and grandparents involved in child sex abuse cases.

The center provides a child-friendly location for the Child Protective Investigative Team, including Department of Children’s Services caseworkers, law enforcement detectives, and the office of the district attorney general, to investigate reports of abuse and to decide on plans of action.

In addition, the center provides therapeutic child sexual abuse children’s groups and non-offending parents groups for the victim’s parents and grandparents.
Sadly, experts say one in four girls and one in seven boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthdays.

The drama and trauma from such abuse echoes in many of the victims’ lives forever. The pain and anguish are inestimable. The cost to society in loss production, citizenship and remedial services for health, mental health, substance abuse and support is massive.

The Child Advocacy Center helps minimalize these personal, community and government costs, but most importantly provides help when the young victims need it the most and at a time when the long-term effects can be limited.

The Duck Derby provides an opportunity for just about everyone in the community to participate and help. Even children can often come up with $5 these days.

A number of local corporate sponsors and partners have lined up to promote the race, donate prizes, and encourage the “adoption” of the ducks including Demos’ Steak and Spaghetti House, Pinnacle Financial Partners, C & K Hardwood Floors and the Charity Circle, For a complete listing of adoption locations, prizes, derby sponsors, or to adopt a duck online for $5, visit the Website at www.murfreesboropost.com and click on the Duck Derby button.

Child sex abuse is an ongoing horror, but each of us can do a little bit to fight it.