Many in our society would prefer not to discuss child sexual abuse. But Anne Lee, founder of the Darkness to Light organization, has stepped forward and prompted communities across the country to talk about the causes and effects of this crime.
Established in Charleston, South Carolina, Darkness to Light serves as a primary prevention initiative against child sexual abuse. Early development of the program began in January 2000, and Darkness to Light became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in April 2001. In the last six years, it has expanded into a national organization, with facilitators in thirty-seven states and four countries.
The mission of the organization is three-fold:
- To shift the responsibility for preventing child sexual abuse from children to adults
- To reduce child sexual abuse nationally through education and public awareness aimed at adults
- To provide adults with information to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse
To accomplish these objectives, Anne and other volunteers vigorously seek to raise awareness for child sexual abuse in a variety of media outlets, in addition to advertisements and public service announcements produced by the organization. Anne has also set up a National Advisory Committee, including top researchers in the field of child sexual abuse, leaders in national efforts targeting sexual abuse prevention and intervention, and public relations and technology experts.
Anne, a single mother, quit a well-paid position to follow her heart and start this organization, even though the prospects for success could not be assured. Working on a sexual abuse prevention program and a comprehensive media campaign, she has helped bring the topic to the general public. Anne is fearless, having walked the walk and talked the talk by making public her own history of suffering abuse. What she undertook from the vision of one has, under her leadership, grown into a successful national program, safeguarding children across the country.
To learn more about Anne Lee and her cause, and how you can make a difference, please visit: www.darkness2light.org.
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