When a child abuse or neglect allegation is made to local law enforcement, the Youth Advocacy Center (YAC) of Lewis County often steps in to assist.
The center is described as a one-stop-shop for children and families who’ve been impacted by a crime. YAC served 162 Lewis County children in 2022, which represents the largest number of annual law enforcement referrals in the agency’s history.
YAC Clinic Coordinator and Child Forensic Interviewer Samantha Mitchell and Care Coordinator Katrina Wulff shared their annual report with Lewis County commissioners on Tuesday.
Mitchell shared that of the 162 children YAC served in 2022, 23 percent were ages 3 to 6, 46 percent were ages 7 to 12 and 28 percent were ages 13 to 17.
The annual report acknowledged that YAC plans to expand mental health and advocacy services this year, and continue community outreach and education.
Mitchell reported some sobering statistics with the commissioners: 90 percent of child sex-abuse victims know their abuser, 20 percent of sexually abused children suffer the abuse before their 8th birthday, and 80 percent of the families YAC has served have experienced intergenerational abuse.
“Your statistics are heartbreaking,” Lewis County Commissioner Scott Brummer said. “I want to commend you and your organization for what you are doing for these kids; it’s awesome.”
“Intervention and education to stop the terrible, vicious cycle is something we have to invest in,” Lewis County Commission Chair Sean Swope said. The Lewis County Commissioners last fall earmarked $100,000 to help YAC improve services and expand its staff.
“I wish something like this was available when I was growing up to positively affect people like me and my brothers and sisters who went through some traumatic experiences,” Swope added.
“Wrap-around services for children are critical to help prevent the opportunity for issues to develop,” Lewis County Commissioner Lindsey Pollock said. “There are places for people to go to get this behavior stopped. It’s incredibly empowering training to our entire community and our society as a whole will be better for it.”
Supported by Twin Cities Rotary and United Way, in addition to Lewis County, Mitchell and Wulff are facilitators of “Darkness to Light – Stewards of Children,” a two-hour class for adults that focuses on how to recognize and respond to child abuse and neglect. The training is held from 6 to 8 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month at the Walton Science Center at Centralia College.
The Youth Advocacy Center of Lewis County is located at 409 N. Tower Ave. in Centralia and can be contacted at 360-623-1990.
