WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Investigating and preventing child sexual abuse is the mission of an online fundraiser taking place in Luzerne County.
That fundraiser will help a non-profit agency that provides services to some 600 children each year.
The numbers really tell a concerning story: the depth of the problem and the challenge.
6,000 children and their families have come to the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center (CAC) over the past decade and that number is expected to increase.
"These children are victims of sexual abuse, child abuse, human exploitation. They're victims of traumatic experiences," said Luzerne County Detective Neil Murphy.
Detective Murphy investigated many of those cases and helped organize the fundraiser.
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He brings many of the child abuse victims to the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center in Wilkes-Barre as part of the law enforcement investigation.
"The Child Advocacy Center provides a safe environment for them to come and talk about the traumatic experiences that they've been through, and in some cases, they haven't lived through these experiences once, but they've had to live through them multiple times," Detective Murphy explained.
The Luzerne County Detectives Association launched an online fundraiser for the CAC. It's a one-stop shop for children who are victimized.
"So this center is specifically for child abuse. So whenever a child discloses any kind of child abuse, they come to our center immediately. We have specialized individuals who speak with the child and get their disclosure about what happened," said Luzerne County CAC Executive Director Shannon Peduto.
Peduto showed 28/22 News around the child-friendly center, a non-profit that relies on fundraisers, grants, and donations to provide its services.
"So that's why we're putting on this fundraiser. That's why it's happening for us so that the money can come directly back to the center and go right to the children for free services, because no child or family ever pays for services when they come to our center, and child abuse is disclosed," Peduto explained.
