By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
April is a busy time for Family Crisis Center, Inc. in Great Bend. Director Kylee Graves and two of her program directors attended Wednesday's Barton County Commission meeting with the purpose of proclaiming April as Sexual Assault and Child Abuse and Awareness Months. Domestic and Sexual Violence Director Amy Norris shared some statistics as part of one proclamation.
"Whereas one in three women and nearly one in six men experience some form of contact, sexual violence in their lifetimes," she said. "And whereas one incident of rape is reported to Kansas law enforcement every seven hours, 20 minutes, 55 seconds."
Braeley Hammeke, program director for the Child Advocacy Center, said all children deserve a life free of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, and they deserve to have proper food, clothing, and shelter. She said child abuse and neglect is a community problem that requires involvement by all.
"Effective child abuse prevention programs succeed because of partnerships created among social service agencies, schools, faith communities, civic organizations, law enforcement agencies, and the business community," she told commissioners.
The Family Crisis Center will display a "What were you wearing" exhibit at various locations in April. The exhibit emphasizes that no matter what you wear, sexual assault still happens. The display will be at the Great Bend Public Library from April 4-21, and the Barton Community College Student Union from April 5-27.