By Jessica Hoover
The Indiana Township Association is working to change Hamilton County’s recent child sexual abuse statistics, which show the county will exceed last year’s number of reports.
Reports have risen each year for the past four years. As of August, Hamilton County averaged approximately 40 child abuse reports per month, with 319 this year. The ITA recently launched its No More Secrets public awareness campaign, which aims to raise awareness of child sexual abuse.
On Nov. 13, the ITA kicked off a five-month Lunch and Learn series. On the second Tuesday of every month through May, a Lunch and Learn will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Kirkendall Room at the Delaware Township Community Center, 9090 E. 131st St.
“The purpose of a Lunch and Learn is to target specific audience groups that work directly with youth,” said Chris Kelly, No More Secrets campaign project manager. “For example, we hosted the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana (for the first event). It’s just kind of the tip of the iceberg, prevention and training that we provide to those participants. So, we go over the No More Secrets campaign, we define what it is and the goals. We go over some statistics for both Hamilton County and the state, and then we go over a tailored presentation for the participants to give them some more insight as it relates to their organization.”
Although each Lunch and Learn event is tailored for a specific organization, they are free and open to the public. For more, contact Kelly at [email protected].
“This is a social issue that is occurring, not only in Hamilton County, but statewide and nationwide,” Kelly said. “Through this campaign, we hope to be able to curtail the number of reports and the number of cases.”
