Shelby County Childrens Advocacy Center - Owens House

 Jennifer's Story      

It was a night like any other.  Tucked safely into bed after saying her prayers and hearing her favorite bedtime story, 8-year-old Jennifer* felt secure, protected, and loved. That night she fell asleep innocent and pure, sheltered from the harsh realities of life, dreaming of ballerinas and princesses and ponies.  UNTIL…

 Early the next morning, Jennifer awakened to find her 20-year-old cousin, Jeff, hovering over her, holding her down, and touching her private parts.  She struggled and screamed for help, but her parents couldn’t hear her cries from their bedroom upstairs.  And so, no one came to help her….

 Jennifer’s entire world had changed in a matter of minutes.  Wounded, devastated, afraid, ashamed, her innocence shattered—Jennifer was forced to grow up before her time.  No longer the happy child she once was, Jennifer became depressed, anxious, and withdrawn. In her 8-year-old mind, monsters and danger lurked around every corner waiting to snatch her up and carry her away. 

Maybe YOU know a child like Jennifer--now you can help her and others!

Owens House services are FREE to children like Jennifer because of community support.  Help us provide needed healing through individual counseling, group support, and family advocacy.

 

DID YOU KNOW??? 

• More children (age four and younger) die from child abuse and neglect than any other single, leading cause of death.

• 85-90% of offenders are someone the child knows

• 1 out of 4 girls are sexually abused by age 18

• 1 out of 6 boys are sexually abused by age 18

• 9 in 10 Americans polled regard child abuse as a serious problem, yet only 1 in 3 reported abuse when confronted with an actual situation

 

**Name changed to protect child