For more than a century, Wesley House has been devoted to helping people help themselves.

The agency’s mission of helping victims of sexual assault and violent crimes continues, and to help that mission expand, some recent changes have been made, according to Elizabeth Graham, Wesley’s executive director.

“We are once again members of the State Chapter of Child Advocacy Centers and the National Children’s Alliance – we have not been members for years,” Graham said. “We have also added some new staff members with The East Mississippi Child Advocacy Center and The East Mississippi Assault Crisis Center – Brandy Rea, Deana Weems, and Deidra Stewart.”

Rea joined the agency last July as its clinical director of The Child Advocacy Center and Sexual Assault Crisis Center. She said there are advantages of being a member of the centers. 

“It gives us a set of standards we have to adhere to, and means we are practicing in the best interest of the child through Wesley House, our therapy, our forensic interviews, and family advocacy,” Rea said. “Not just through Wesley House, but through law enforcement, the district attorney’s office, and through our medical exams and hospitals. That we as a whole community are adhering to the best practices nationwide. That our child advocacy center is doing what the nation says is the best in child abuse investigations, and we at Wesley House are adhering to those standards.”

Rea said referrals are made through law enforcement or child protective services if there is an allegation of physical or sexual abuse of a child or vulnerable adult.

“They will bring the child and we will talk to the child instead of the child having to tell law enforcement, a social worker, or doctor multiple times,” Rea said. “A forensic interview is designed so that all those people can come here to observe and that child only has to make their statement one time to a trained professional – the forensic interviewer.”

According to Rea, the job of a forensic interviewer is to be neutral and ask questions in a child-friendly, child developmentally appropriate manner that allows the child to talk about what happened in their own terms.

“It reduces the trauma the child experiences, plus you also have a family advocate that works with the parent while the child is being interviewed to help the trauma the parent is experiencing, that is involved in the investigation as well,” Rea said.

Graham said the interview also gives law enforcement and child protective services the opportunity to gather evidence.

“Law enforcement may be able to go and gather evidence that is disclosed to the forensic interviewer,” Graham said. “They can go immediately and see if that evidence can be located. There have been situations where child protective services realized the child needed to be removed from their situation immediately because they were in danger.”

Once the forensic interview is done, the family is provided with a family advocate, Rea said.

“It’s almost like a case manager that helps them in every aspect,” Rea said. “Not only do they get the forensic interview, and counseling here but that family advocate goes with them to court. Maybe there are no charges filed, or the charges are filed and it doesn’t go to trial – that doesn’t mean their family advocate services stop. Until that family is stable that family advocate is there to make sure that family gets what they need and they are functioning as well as they can.”

Rea said a case can be reopened if the family needs help again.

“It is a holistic approach to treating the whole family,” Rea said. “It doesn’t just impact the child, it impacts the whole household sometimes impacting the family for years. They will be able to get services for that entire time for whatever they need.”

Rea encourages victims to reach out and seek help from Wesley House. 

“Making that call is scary, but all you have to do is make that first phone call to us and you will get an advocate assigned to you,” Rea said. “That is the first step and from there you will have the support and counseling you need – you are not alone, just make that call.”

To recognize April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Wesley House will host a kick-off event Monday from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Meridian Mayor Percy Bland will read proclamations declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention/Awareness and Sexual Assault Awareness month, and there will be a balloon release honoring victims of child abuse and sexual assault. Ribbons and educational material will also be available to the public.