HERO Project - Community Action Council 2008
Westmoreland County Collaboration on Child Sexual Abuse
Prevention
Child sexual abuse is a pervasive problem in Westmoreland
County and across the state and nation. To end this
devastating abuse, community members must work together to
develop the resources needed to achieve that goal.
In Westmoreland County, the HERO Project has been working to
do just that. Formed in 1997 with a mission to reduce the
incidence of child sexual abuse, the group has recently
launched a Community Action Council. Members of the Council
have dedicated their time, expertise, and resources to
support the activities of the HERO Project, whose goals are
to increase awareness of child sexual abuse and encourage
reporting of suspected child sexual abuse ' especially by
persons who are in the position to protect a child, such as
parents, teachers, friends, neighbors, and child care
workers.
In April 2008, representatives from the HERO Project
Community Action Council distributed literature on child
sexual abuse to businesses, schools, health care facilities
and other human service agencies. In addition, they created
displays on the topic at libraries across the County;
presented vital information during speaking engagements at
schools, civic organizations and service clubs; and
submitted newsletter articles and bulletin inserts for
churches and area businesses. The Council also distributed
public service announcements and press releases for
newspapers and magazines.
As a result of these efforts, a total of eighty-two
businesses, libraries, churches, and human service agencies
received literature and information on how to report
suspected cases of child sexual abuse. More than 240
individuals attended speaking events, and the Community
Action Council distributed over 1,195 HERO Project items.
Ninety-three professionals who work closely with children
and their families received HERO Project information and
8,400 individual and household members received written
material with educational information about child sexual
abuse.
The 2007-2008 HERO Project Community Action Council
includes: Blackburn Center Against Domestic & Sexual
Violence; Boys Scouts of Westmoreland County; Child Care
Information Services; Laurel Youth Services; ParentWISE
Program of Family Services of Western Pennsylvania; St.
Vincent College Prevention Projects; Westmoreland County
Children's Bureau; and Westmoreland County Juvenile
Probation.
For information about how you can become involved in this
important work, please contact Blackburn Center at
724-837-9540 ext. 114 or email Dottie Craig at
DottieC@blackburncenter.org.