The Centre County Women’s Resource Center released a response earlier today to the recommendations contained in the Paterno Report, which was released on Sunday.
According to the release, CCWRC was pleased with the support the Paterno Report expressed for prevention organizations and organizations working with victims of child sexual abuse.
But, the release from CCWRC also said, “We are concerned, however, with the impression created by Mr. Clemente that a new national organization is needed to address the needs of victims of child sexual abuse and create new prevention programs.
“It is important, however, that the community know how we have responded and what work is being done to meet the needs of victims and to prevent child sexual abuse."
According to the release, representatives from CCWRC, the Centre County Youth Services Bureau, the YMC of Centre Country and the Centre Country United Way met after Jerry Sandusky’s arrest to come up with ideas for how they could provide what the community needed.
These partners received a two-year non-renewable grant to fund a Child Abuse Prevention project. This project launched in Spring 2012. Its centerpiece is the Stewards of Children training, which helps to get adults involved in acting to prevent child sexual abuse. More than 1,500 Centre County residents have participated in the training to date, according to the release.
During the same time the Child Abuse project, a group of Centre County residents working with Judge Brad Lunsford started working on the establishment of a Child Advocacy Center.
In addition, there have been other ongoing efforts, including a series of support groups for adult victims of child sexual abuse, established through CCWRC with the help of a grant from RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network.
The release also details the Penn State’s partnerships with Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
“What is needed in Centre County for victims of child sexual abuse – for our children and the adults they will become – is a consistent and reliable source of funding for services for victims and for the prevention work that will eliminate child sexual abuse in our community," the release read. "This is where our efforts and energies should be focused.”
