Tag Archives: RAACE

Powerful Child Abuse Prevention Tools are Just a Click Away

Local non-profit RAACE launches new website to help parents protect children from sexual abuse

Baltimore, MD, December 19, 2014 – The number of children and teens who are sexually abused in the U.S. remains at epidemic levels– 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys are sexually abused by age 18. Even worse, over 90% of offenders are someone the child knows and trusts. To combat this epidemic, Maryland-based non-profit Race Against Abuse of Children Everywhere (RAACE) has launched a new website that provides a wealth of information and educational materials to help families protect children against the often-silent epidemic of child sexual abuse.

RAACE, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has been working for more than 10 years to help educate families about the dangers of child sexual abuse and what they can do to prevent the victimization of their children. The new website provides families with quick, easy access to a wide range of free, age-appropriate educational materials, including the organization’s in-depth Power of Prevention Guide Book.

According to RAACE founder, Kenneth Smith, “Education and awareness are the first critical steps toward preventing child sexual abuse. Our new site is a great resource that anyone can use to learn how to prevent child sexual abuse, what signs to look for if you suspect your child is being abused, and what each of us can do to shine a light on the epidemic of abuse and help end it.”

In addition to all the education materials available, the new site also offers ways to connect with other RAACE supporters, including a special community site where people can ask questions, share experiences, and take part in forums focused on topics related to child sexual abuse prevention and the issues that abuse survivors may face. The site also makes it easy to find RAACE events that are part of the organization’s Prevention Tour. During the tour, RAACE staff travel around the state to family-friendly events and use RAACE’s two-story, carnival-style “Big Wheel” to catch the attention of event-goers and teach them how they can help prevent child sexual abuse.

“As a community, we have the potential to make a dramatic and positive impact on children and families,” adds Smith. “We’re able to do this work thanks to the support of our RAACE Fans. And it’s even easier to support RAACE now that we’re part of the Network for Good.”

Contact: Brad Brickel
410-893-1001
brad.brickel@raace.org

For more information about RAACE and its ongoing work to end the epidemic of child sexual abuse, visit www.raace.org.

Contact:
Dina Wasmer
Incite Creative, Inc.
P.O. Box 95
Cockeysville, MD 21030
410-366-9479
info@incitecreativeinc.com
http://www.incitecreativeinc.com

RAACE Boosts its Anti-Child Abuse Efforts by Joining #GivingTuesday

Note: RAACE founder and Executive Director available for interviews re: #GivingTuesday

Baltimore, MD, November 23, 2012 – What Black Friday and Cyber Monday are to the retail world, #Giving Tuesday (December 3, 2013) is quickly becoming for the world of philanthropy, and this growing grassroots movement is having an impact on non-profits throughout Maryland. Race Against Abuse of Children Everywhere (RAACE), a Maryland non-profit dedicated to the prevention of child sexual abuse, is one of #GivingTuesday’s newest partners.

RAACE, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded 10 years ago by Baltimore businessman Kenneth Smith. The organization’s mission is to raise public awareness and provide age-appropriate educational tools to help families protect their children.

Child sexual abuse statistics are at epidemic proportions — 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys are sexually abused by age 18 — yet the topic is vastly under-discussed. The silence is caused in part to the fact that over 90% of the perpetrators aren’t strangers, but are someone the child knows and trusts.

There are 39 million survivors of child sexual abuse in the U.S and most never have the chance to share their story, an action that can be an important part of the healing process for some people. As part of #GivingTuesday, RAACE will offer survivors the opportunity to tell their story, anonymously if they prefer. Survivors can email or send a letter to RAACE and members of the organization will record and post their stories on its social media outlets, giving survivors a voice and bringing their experiences out of the shadows.

“Exposing the prevalence of abuse and educating people are first steps towards preventing it,” explains RAACE founder Kenneth Smith. “That’s why we’re sharing survivors’ stories and why we stage our annual ‘prevention tour’. We travel around the region to family-friendly events and we use our two-story, carnival-style “Big Wheel” to catch the attention of event-goers and teach them how they can help prevent child sexual abuse.”

RAACE is a #GivingTuesday partner for the first time this year to help fund its prevention tour and spread the word about ways to prevent children from becoming abuse victims. The #Giving Tuesday movement started in 2013 as an innovative approach designed to transform how people think about and participate in the giving season that coincides with the winter holidays. #GivingTuesday takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, this year on December 3, 2013.

“Rather than focusing all our energies on holiday sales and shopping, #GivingTuesday reminds us what the holidays are really about—caring for and sharing with others,” adds Smith. “It’s a great way to shine the spotlight on the many, many ways we can each help people in our own community, around the country and across the globe.”

For more information about RAACE and its partnership with #GivingTuesday, visit www.raace.org.

Contact:
Linda Harder
RAACE
Baltimore, MD
443-762-5569
lsharder@comcast.net
http://www.raace.org