C.O. businesses encouraged to partner with ‘Darkness to Light’ child abuse training

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- As the pandemic extends to nine months, safety concerns for children continue to grow. More and more families are being impacted by the social distancing orders, distance learning, economic hardships, and continued uncertainty.

Family stress is at an all-time high, which unfortunately is a risk factor for child abuse and neglect. The National Children’s Alliance states that 88% of all child abuse is perpetuated by a parent, a parent’s partner, or a relative.

Mandated reporters–including teachers and school counselors–typically are responsible for the majority of the child abuse reports. But with children experiencing limited contact with those safe and trusted adults, communities are grappling with the knowledge that abuse in the home is going undetected and unreported.

Bend Fire & Rescue has stepped in to provide support, not only to the children in our community, but to mandatory reporters–including educators–who are already stretched thin.

Bend Fire & Rescue recently earned the Partner in Prevention designation by providing the Darkness to Light Stewards of Children® training to over 90% of its management, staff, and volunteers! This is the first organization east of the Cascades to receive this distinction.

KIDS Center would like to thank Bend Fire & Rescue for responding to the need for individuals to be educated and trained in child abuse prevention. You truly are heroes!

 “KIDS Center can facilitate the Darkness to Light training for your team and assist in the certification process. We are here to support anyone that wants to join the fight against child abuse” said Rachel Visser, Prevention Education Manager of KIDS Center.

Businesses in Central Oregon are encouraged to join Bend Fire as a business or organization that is known throughout the community that prioritizes the health and well being of children.

About Darkness to Light: Darkness to Light is an international organization that leads the movement to end child sexual abuse by educating and empowering adults in education, youth serving organizations, and communities to protect children. Darkness to Light’s flagship program, Stewards of Children®, is a one-of-a-kind, award-winning training that teaches adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. More than 1.4 million adults have been trained using the program.

About Bend Fire: Bend Fire & Rescue is an all-risk organization and is the largest fire department in Oregon east of the Cascade Mountains. Our mission unifies members of this proud organization: protecting lives and supporting our community with compassion, professionalism, and teamwork. We are guided by six values that are embodied by our workforce: resilience, integrity, compassion, respect, optimism, and humility. We accomplish our mission through our recruitment and hiring practices, stringent training standards, continuing education, and equipping our staff to do their difficult jobs safely and effectively.  The dedicated individuals who wear our uniform are focused on providing excellent customer service and we take pride in the service we are entrusted to deliver.

About KIDS Center: Founded in 1994, and built by the community, for the community, KIDS Center is a privately-funded non-profit dedicated to the prevention, evaluation, and treatment of all forms of child abuse. KIDS Center offers a variety of trainings to help our community prevent child abuse, learn how to minimize opportunities for abuse to happen, recognize potential signs of abuse, and how to report child abuse concerns. KIDS Center has provided sexual abuse trainings to 12,000+ adults via Darkness to Light trainings. Trainings on Internet safety–for individuals and businesses–and how to talk to children about their bodies and body safety–can be found by contacting KIDS Center. Information about KIDS Center’s prevention trainings can be found at: kidscenter.org/prevention-trainings or by calling, (541) 383-5958. Anyone with a concern about a child’s safety is encouraged to call the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-503-SAFE (7233) or local law enforcement.