It was extremely encouraging to see a whole room full of counselors attend my session on “prevention of child sexual abuse” last week at the WVCA (West Virginia Counseling Association) conference in Daniels, West Virginia, on Nov 11, 2016. It is always encouraging to see this kind of interest on this topic. And the discussions following the presentation were inspiring and uplifting. Experiences like this keep me going.
This was not a very large conference – that is why it was even more encouraging to see the kind of interest the attendees had in listening to my presentation. During some of my presentations around the country on this topic, I find that people often do not want to get into detailed discussions about many of the issues associated with prevention of child sexual abuse.
However, at this conference, this was clearly a very well-received topic and follow-up discussions were both interesting and thought-provoking. The next step is to continue these discussions on a regular basis beyond the confines of the conference room. Child sexual abuse is a very real issue and we can make a difference only if we are able to speak up and work toward making some changes that will promote a more preventive mindset.