Domestic Violence and Child Abuse

By Stephanie Ader, Carousel Center Volunteer

Domestic Violence Increases Chances of Child Abuse

Domestic Violence can be very traumatic for a child and is often a precursor for child abuse. Children in homes where domestic violence occurs are physically abused or neglected at 1,500% higher rate than the national average. Studies show that parents who are the victims of frequent abuse are more likely to victimize their children than non-abused parents; and parents who experience severe violence are more likely to use severe punishments and violence in resolving conflicts with their children.  (http://www.domesticviolence-wilm.org/about-domestic-violence/children.aspx) 

Resources Across Eastern North Carolina
Are you a victim of domestic violence or know someone who is? It is critical to report domestic violence and get help. 

NEW HANOVER COUNTY
Domestic Violence Shelter
& Services
PO Box 1555
Wilmington, NC 28402
Office: (910) 343-0703
Crisis (toll free) 800-672-2903
Crisis: (910) 343-0703
Fax: (910) 343-9388
Website: www.domesticviolence-wilm.org

BRUNSWICK COUNTY
Hope Harbor Home, Inc.
PO Box 230
Supply, NC 28462
Office: (910) 754-5726
Crisis: (910) 754-5856
Fax: (910) 754-9049
Website: www.hopeharborhome.org

PENDER COUNTY
Safe Haven Pender County
PO Box 657
Burgaw, NC 28425
Office/Crisis: (910) 259-8989
Fax: (910) 259-9410
Website: www.pendersafehaven.com

NORTH CAROLINA STATE WIDE
Kiran
1012 Oberlin Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27605
Hotline: (877)-625-4726
Website: www.kiraninc.orgIf you would like to learn more about Carousel Center and the services we offer to children who are abused and neglected in Southeastern NC, please visit CarouselCenter.org.

Encore's "Best of 2013"

Encore magazine's PAR-TAY of all parties to celebrate the BEST Wilmington has to offer just got bigger and better this year because The Carousel Center has formed a joint partnership in helping to organize the 13th annual "Best Of" awards party. That's right! The Carousel Center and Encore magazine are pleased to announce their partnership in coordinating Encore's "Best Of 2013" Awards Party at the Brooklyn Arts Center on Feb. 2nd. Doors will open at 6:00pm and the show will begin at 7:00pm. "We are very excited to be part of an event with such a great tradition of food and fun," Executive Director of The Carousel Center Amy Feath says. "We are rolling up our sleeves to ensure a fabulous night for all that attend".

As always, this is an event not to be missed. This year's event will crown winners from the top three nominees in over 120 categories ranging from best restaurant, best bowling alley, best wings to best car wash. The entire nominee list and ballot can be seen by going to www.encorepub.com. To add to the excitement, the lucky winner of each category will not be announced until the night of the event, and the show will maintain its improv and off-the-cuff hilarity hosted by comedian troupes The Comically Impaired and folks from Changing Channels.

A new twist this year will be the inaugural Best of Battle of the Bands. For a dollar per vote, the audience can vote for their favorite band among the nominees Mike Blair and the Stonewalls, L-Shaped Lot, and Bibis Ellison, all of whom will be performing live. All donations will go to The Carousel Center.

In addition, raffles will be held to help raise funds for The Carousel Center, and dozens of newly nominated businesses have donated gift certificates, merchandise, free food, service vouchers and more.

By partnering with The Carousel Center, we have been able to expand the event and give back to the community simultaneously, "Editor-in-Chief Shea Carver says. "It's a win-win-win: Celebrate the Best Of winners and nominees throughout our community, support a great local nonprofit, and increase the laughter and fun during this annual night of raucous entertainment".

Tickets are$10 and can be purchased at encoredeals.com starting Jan. 9th. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit The Carousel Center, and admission includes a sampling of food from some of the area's best restaurants and a cash bar.

This event celebrates the best of the best, so come on out to congratulate the "Best Of 2013" winners, donate to a worthy cause, and have a rip roarin' good time laughing, eating and enjoying some wonderful entertainment.

Child Abuse is a Local, not Localized Problem

Child Abuse is a Local, not Localized Problem  

Late last year news broke that a beloved Penn State football coach was accused of child molestation.  Jerry Sandusky had been indicted (and later convicted) on charges of child molestation, and it appeared that one of our nations most highly regarded institutions had covered up one of the most egregious offenses against humanity that there is - again. Yes, it hadn’t been long after the Catholic Church child sexual abuse scandal and subsequent cover up. Or, long before the Boy Scouts of America released secret files detailing decades of abuse and cover-ups. This time however it was written that the mighty would fall. Joe Paterno stepped down as the head coach of Penn State after 46 years. And, even though the students rioted and cried in the streets, the public had spoken and child abuse was no longer going to be tolerated in our esteemed institutes.  However, even given the evidence that this was not an isolated incident with at least the two aforementioned scandals, the public was satisfied with taking the crown from Paterno, the news coverage stopped, and people went on about their lives. Even the investigation of another coach (Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine) for child molestation did not invoke the ire the public, or the 24-hour news networks. The public it seemed was ok to consider it an isolated incident, and move on. The problem, however difficult to talk about, is still happening, right here in your community.

Last year, the Carousel Center for Abused Children here in Wilmington, NC saw 271 alleged abuse victims. Of those, 78 percent alleged sexual assault and 20 percent alleged physical and sexual abuse. For those of you not good at math, that equates to roughly 211 cases of sexual abuse and 54 cases of sexual and physical abuse right here in southeastern North Carolina. Jerry Sandusky had “almost 20” victims. To put that in perspective, the Carousel Center saw more than 10 times as many victims as Jerry Sandusky was indicted for, just last year. Now, I am not trying to trivialize what Sandusky did, it is and will always be deplorable, and it has ruined many lives, careers, and irreparably damaged a once revered football institution. But, in our community alone, we have nearly 300 cases reported. Southeastern North Carolina is not alone in the nation with these statistics, this is happening everywhere. There are 400,000 new victims of sexual assault every year on average. This is not a localized issue it is a local issue.

We can do better. While you can’t help the children abused by Jerry Sandusky, the Catholic Church, or the Boy Scouts, you can make a difference to the hundreds of children abused locally. The Carousel Center for Abused Children helps. They give children who have been made victims of abuse a safe place to be examined and interviewed to ensure that authorities have the evidence they need to punish the perpetrators, and receive social services, and therapy to help these children to heal. The Carousel Center is a non-profit organization that gets a significant portion of their operating budget from direct donations, and they need your help. Visit their website to donate, or volunteer, add your voice to the brave voices of those victims that have come forward and confronted their accusers. Tell the community and the world that we will not stand for this injustice, and tell the victims that we stand beside them.

Submitted by Eric Helin

Board Member

Carousel Center for Abused Children

National Philanthropy Day

On November 8th, the Board of Directors of the Carousel Center was awarded the Non-Profit Fundraising Board of the Year by the Cape Fear Region Association of Fundraising Professionals at a breakfast ceremony at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside. This award recognizes exceptional fundraising abilities of the board of directors of a nonprofit foundation within the Cape Fear Region. Several criteria are used in order to be recognized for this award: the board's performance must have promoted the mission of the agency and increased the financial resources, thereby measurably increasing the agency's impact; and its fundraising efforts must have demonstrated the spirit of philanthropy and set an example for others to follow.

 The Board is so proud to accept this award on behalf of everyone who works so tirelessly to raise funds for The Carousel Center in its pursuit to treat and heal victims of child abuse in our community. Thank you to all of you who have given of your time, energy and donations to help support The Carousel Center!

It's Time for a Cold One or 300

It's mid October and that can only mean one thing. It's time to sample a few cold ones at the annual Lighthouse Beer Festival. With over 100 breweries, 300 beers to sample, food vendors, and live music, this is definitely THE place to be this weekend in Wilmington. So, mark your social calendars for Saturday, October 20th from 1-5 and be prepared to drink a few brewskies for a great cause. And seriously, for only $35 a ticket, this is a true bargain because you can sample as many beers as you want. Click Here for ticket information.

This is the 11th year for the festival, and this year marks the 10th year The Carousel Center has been the recipient of the proceeds of this awesome event. The Carousel Center has been so fortunate to receive such amazing support from community partners and local businesses such as Lighthouse Beer and Wine. When Jason, the owner of Lighthouse Beer and Wine, was asked why he chose The Carousel Center to be the beneficiary of the proceeds from the event, he replied, "because it's a cause he believes in, they do good work, and it's a local organization run by committed individuals".

Jason has been so kind to organize this festival, so, we hope to see hundreds and hundreds of folks out there on Saturday taste testing beers from breweries all over the place. Who knows, you may even find a new favorite.   

Child Abuse is Nondiscriminatory

Child abuse is one of those rare anomalies in that it is an equal opportunity employer? What's that you say? Well what that means is child abuse is not like some other crimes which are more prevalent in certain racial, ethnic or socioeconomic groups, which may be easier to ignore or push under the rug because you don't "fit in" with those groups. Rather, child abuse is nondiscriminatory. It occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions, and at all levels of education. Therefore, child abuse affects every single one of us. It affects YOU. Child abuse is not a problem for those people who live on the other side of town, or go to that other church, or have a different color of skin than you. Child abuse is right here in your own community and may be closer than you ever thought.

• a report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds.
• more than 5 children die every day as a result of child abuse.
• approximately 80% of children who die of abuse are under the age of 4.
• more than 90% of juvenile sexual abuse victims know their perpetrator in some way.
• about 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse.

These statistics should alarm you! So please do not think child abuse is someone else's problem, because it is OUR problem. Please be aware and pay attention to the many programs that raise funds for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Attend a fundraiser, volunteer an hour or two of your time, check out a website devoted to child advocacy and look at their wish list, and if you are able, donate an item. Children are the most helpless victims, and we ALL need to secure the best future possible for those who need us the most.

Statistics: Here

How We Came To Be.

About 14 years ago, a small group of dedicated individuals got together because of a vision of an amazing nurse who recognized the need for a child friendly environment where abused children would be welcomed and cared for by specially trained professionals. No more cold, sterile, emergency room visits, where the victim would become even more traumatized by the frantic ER and be subjected to an exam by staff not certified to handle such delicate cases, thus risking crucial evidence being overlooked or compromised. A non-profit corporation was formed, funds were raised, a board of directors was put into place, a tiny house was rented, and through blood, sweat and tears, The Carousel Center opened its doors in the year 2000.

In the 12 years since The Carousel Center has been serving abused children in southeastern North Carolina, it has gone through many changes. The Center itself has moved locations a few times due to space constraints, and it now serves 8 counties. Wouldn't the real success story be though if the Carousel Center was forced out of business, meaning there was no longer a need for such services? Sadly, that is not the reality of the world in which we live. Last year alone there were 700 total visits at the Center. Every year The Carousel Center sees 250 new children, 82% are less than 11 years old and 78% have allegations of sexual abuse.

The wonderful staff of The Carousel Center recognizes the need, and takes this responsibility very seriously. No matter how many changes the Center has undergone, one thing remains constant, and that is the commitment to providing a child friendly environment to victims of child abuse. Children wear hand painted t-shirts instead of hospital gowns, and are given stuffed animals to hug during the physical exam. The staff asks age appropriate questions in order to satisfy the needs of law enforcement, prosecution and social services. All interested parties may watch and ask questions to the interviewer through a discreet headset to decrease trauma to the victim by eliminating the need to repeatedly tell their story. The Center provides the victims and their family the necessary tools to begin the healing process. The child's physical and emotional well being will always be The Center's top priority.