When many of us think about domestic violence, we likely consider how it impacts the adult victim. Yet if there are children in the home, domestic violence affects them, too — even if they are not subject to the abuse themselves. It is important to understand these effects so that we can better protect kids from both the immediate harm and the consequences over their lifetimes. In the United States, more than 15 million children live in homes where domestic violence has happ

Across Western Pennsylvania, school is letting out for the summer this week, and many parents are taking advantage of this time to talk to their kids about what they want to do over their break. While scheduling fun is an important part of any summer plan, parents should consider another important aspect of their conversation with their kids: talking about sexual abuse. Many parents are uncomfortable with the idea of talking to their children about sex in any form. Yet fail

At least once a week, we see a headline in the local or national news discussing the latest case of child sexual assault (or rape). Invariably, these articles will refer to the accused “having sex with” the minor. This sort of story is seen routinely in newspapers and online media across the country, from reports about Jared Fogle to local stories about teachers raping students. When media outlets use this phrase, they are implicitly calling into question whether the child

In the past few weeks, the United States Supreme Court issued a number of important rulings. Two of these decisions — on healthcare subsidies and marriage equality — have commanded the lion’s share of attention from the press and public. But a decision on a more obscure legal principle may be most significant for victims’ rights advocates, making it easier for prosecutors to bring child abuse charges without the young victims having to testify in court. The Confrontation Cla

Last week, we learned that Josh Duggar (one of the stars of the television show 19 & Counting) had molested five young girls, including 4 of his sisters, when he was a teenager. The outrage and backlash was immediate, with Josh resigning from the Family Research Council and TLC suspending the show. But many people also leapt to the family’s defense, claiming that he was just a teenager and that it was a youthful error and he deserves forgiveness. Josh has admitted these al

If you’re a parent, chances are that you’ve wondered how to talk to your children about complicated topics like sexual abuse, dating violence, online safety and more. At Blackburn Center, we recognize that talking about these issues with your children can be challenging — and we are here to help! Through our school-based outreach programs, we educate thousands of school-aged children in Westmoreland County. These sessions cover a variety of topics, from bullying to harassme

For many victims of sexual assault, it may take years — or even decades — for them to fully come to grips with what they have experienced, and to acknowledge that they were sexually assaulted. This is also true for childhood victims of sexual assault, who may have not understood that what happened to them as children was abuse. Because it may take a number of years for a victim of sexual assault to come to terms with what has happened to her or him, we join our statewide orga