Afterschool Employee Prevents Further Abuse

A few years ago one of our Certified Instructors trained the staff of her local afterschool program in Stewards of Children®. Her trainees were mostly college students, and she found that one trainee, in particular, was heavily invested in the discussions.

A few weeks later, that trainee went to a family reunion. Over the course of the weekend she recognized the signs of sexual abuse in multiple children in her extended family. She was nervous – but she knew that there was only one way to protect her littlest of family members.

The trainee mustered up her courage, consulted the resources in her Stewards of Children® workbook, and reported her suspicions to the authorities. As a result, she ended the abuse of several of her cousins.

Our actions make ripples in our community. It may seem frightening in the moment, but courage means persevering in the face of fear. As this one trainee found out, the rewards of courage far outweigh the risks.

By supporting Darkness to Light, you empower others to make those courageous decisions to protect children. In fact, supporting Darkness to Light is a courageous decision in and of itself.



This Spotlight Story was shared via our Share Your Story feature, through which survivors can offer their experiences as a source of insight, support, and ultimately hope for the community. In order to create a safe and supportive community for all our readers, we do not share the names of perpetrators or the specifics of court cases. All posts are reviewed prior to posting, must adhere to Darkness to Light’s guidelines for appropriate content, and may have been edited for length.