Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford County, Inc.

One out of ten children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday.  This means that in classrooms, daycares, churches, sports teams, and homes—everywhere you see children in our community, there are boys and girls who are bearing the burden of child sexual abuse.

The Child Advocacy Center works as a multidisciplinary team with the Department of Children’s Services, law enforcement, and the District Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute child abuse cases and help children heal from the trauma.  In the last 23 years, the team has worked together to investigate and prosecute child abuse cases and assist individuals in Rutherford and Cannon Counties.

The Child Advocacy Center provides the following services:

Child Protective Investigative Team: We work as a multidisciplinary team with the Department of Children’s Services, law enforcement, mental health counselors, and the District Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute child abuse cases.

Forensic Interviews: We interview children suspected of being victims of abuse at our facility. The interview is not only recorded by a closed-circuit camera, but it is also streamed into an adjourning room where law enforcement and Department of Children’s Services are able to witness the interview and gather evidence of the crime committed against the children.

Family Advocacy: Crisis intervention services are provided to assist children and their families through the criminal investigation and connect them to community resources.

Drug Endangered Children:  This program teaches families how to cope with addiction issues. Services include alcohol and drug education, relapse prevention, anger management, parenting and communication skills, and stress management.

Darkness to Light: A nationwide initiative, this program teaches adults the 5 Steps to Protecting Children from Child Sexual Abuse.  Our Center has a goal to train 10,500 Rutherford and Cannon County parents, grandparents, and professionals—this represents 5% of the adult population.

It is the belief of the Child Advocacy Center that children deserve the best, especially in their time of crisis.