The South Mississippi Child Advocacy Center

The mission of the South Mississippi Child Advocacy Center is to provide a safe, nonthreatening place for child victims and their families to receive a comprehensive array of services which include the initial interview, court school education, and referral for therapy and medical services.

Child Advocacy Services are available at the Center and are focused on providing child victims and their families with education, and support, while effectively coordinating available community resources.

This support, given to child victims, helps begin the recovery process and also facilitates the movement through the criminal justice system. Protecting children from abuse is everyone's responsibility. Only by working together as a community are we able to begin the process of reducing the menace. The Center strives, in all of its programs and services, to provide a community-based response to the problem of child abuse through treatment and prevention of re-victimization.

The pain of child abuse doesn’t always end after the physical act. In the past, a "verbal battery" began when young victims were interviewed many times by several agencies. Although the professionals may have acted with best intent, child victims were required to tell their experience many times over.

Forensic interviews allow victims of physical or sexual abuse, or those who have witnessed a violent crime or act, to give an account in their own words, within a supportive, child-friendly environment. The interviews are taped, with the child’s consent, so the child does not need to relive the experience with repeated tellings.

A child’s disclosure of abuse may be one of the most significant pieces of evidence in a child abuse investigation. Most perpetrators deny abusing their victim, and since most crimes committed with children are not witnessed, prosecution can be difficult. For these reasons, forensic interviews become even more important. Only those who have experience and skill in child development, child abuse issues and linguistics can conduct objective interviews that not only live up to scrutiny from outside agencies, but also serve the best interests of child victims.

 The Center has developed several programs aimed at providing needed services to victims and their families. These programs include:

• Forensic Interview Services
• Hope Group: Helping Parents Through Education
• Multidisciplinary Teams
• Court Orientation (Court School)

For more information about the services provided by the Child Advocacy Center , call (228) 863-1117 in Harrison Co., (601) 545-6680 in Forrest Co., and (228) 769-1343 for Jackson Co.