Child abuse does not go away during a global pandemic. In fact, First Light Child Advocacy Center has seen a significant increase in abused children since the pandemic began.
In 2020, 281 children went through forensic interviews at First Light. In 2021, that number rose to 317. Of that number, 75% were victims of child sexual abuse, child pornography, child exploitation and/or sex trafficking. A total of 26% were done with children 5 and younger.
So there’s “a big need for our community to ensure that we are helping these kids through their trauma and a path toward healing,” said Shannon Krejci, executive director of the child advocacy center.
First Light, which used to be called Central Nebraska Child Advocacy Center, has launched a campaign to help provide those services. The “Make a Difference” campaign started in January and will conclude at the end of April, which is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The campaign is chaired by Jennifer and Ray O’Connor. Campaign team members are Ryan and Laura Dexter, Kristin and Rob Riedy and Jason and Gayle Bonnes. First Light is asking people to pay 27 cents a day.
“We’re not asking for a lot of money. It’s very reasonable,” Gayle Bonnes said. First Light hopes people will commit to $100 a year for three years.
Working with children up to 18, First Light interviews victims of abuse. The interviews are used to prosecute perpetrators of child abuse and neglect. The process benefits the victim by limiting the number of times a child is interviewed. Video and audio recordings are made of the interview.
First Light, a nonprofit agency, works closely with law enforcement. In addition to local police officers and sheriff’s deputies, members of the Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security and FBI have brought children to First Light to be interviewed. Victims also are brought in by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. At times, prosecutors from county attorney’s offices have sat in on interviews.
Headquartered in Grand Island, First Light serves a 10-county area. In addition to Hall, those counties are Howard, Hamilton, Merrick, Garfield, Greeley, Clay, Nuckolls, Webster and Wheeler.
The child advocacy center receives some funding from the state DHHS, as well as some federal money.
First Light relies “a lot on fundraisers” and grants, Krejci said. But most grants are for projects and not for operating expenses, she noted.
That’s “why the campaign is really important, to make sure we have those dollars moving forward,” Krejci said
In a statement, Jennifer and Ray O’Connor pointed out that First Light’s services “are designed to address the physical and emotional needs of children who are victims of child abuse and child neglect. In the twenty-first century, the protection of children is the prime imperative of justice. All children deserve a safe place to live and a community with social welfare programs that will protect them from child abuse and child neglect.
“We as individuals can create a social fabric woven to the benefit of all, a society marked by compassion and altruism with special attention paid to the children that are victims of child abuse and child neglect,” the O’Connors continue. “The time to address the problem is now. Together we can make a difference.”
If the campaign is especially successful, First Light would like to hire an on-site mental health therapist, Krejci said. If the center had a trauma-focused therapist in its office, the service would be provided at no cost to victims.
Forensic interview subjects who are not sexually abused were in a drug-exposed environment, witnesses to a violent crime or domestic violence or were victims of severe physical abuse.
Not only has there been a spike in sexual abuse, but there’s also been an increase in domestic violence during the pandemic, Krejci said. First Light will continue to accept donations past April.
