FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Child Sexual Abuse Victim Speaks Out to Urge Parents to

Talk to Their Children

Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas gets help from abuse survivor Jenna Quinn in a new PSA to premiere during National Child Abuse Awareness Month

AUSTIN, Texas – April 1, 2013 –A child sexual abuse survivor who inspired a Texas law offers advice for parents on how to talk to their children about sexual abuse in a new public service announcement that will premiere across the state during April, National Child Abuse Awareness Month. The PSA featuring Jenna Quinn is part of an awareness campaign by Children’s Advocacy Centers™of Texas, Inc.(CACTX).

“Parents who have a very tough conversation with their child can make a huge difference in preventing sexual abuse,” says Joy Rauls, Executive Director of Children’s Advocacy Centers™of Texas, Inc. “For someone like Jenna Quinn who knows first hand about abuse to offer this advice for parents sends a powerful message.”

In the PSA, Jenna Quinn tells parents to start the conversation with three, easy-to-understand words – No. Go. Tell.The simple message lets the child know that it’s okay to do something aboutwhat is happening to them, a touch or suggestion that makes them uncomfortable—even if it comes from a family member or friend. “They should say, “NO,” like they mean it; GO away to someplace safe; and, TELL someone they trust,” says Quinn.

A family friend and coach abused Quinn when she was only 13. She later became an activist and reached out to Texas lawmakers to pass what became know as “Jenna’s Law,” which mandates that teachers, parents and students be made aware of the signs of child sexual abuse.

“A parent who doesn’t have a conversation with their child, misses out on the opportunity for their child to fend off the attacks,” says Quinn. “By talking to your kids about No-Go-Tell, it’s like giving them radar to ward off offenders because they know what to look for to identify offenses.”

Recent statistics stress the importance of parents having this difficult talk with their children to help protect them from sexual abuse. 26% of the 40,000 Texas child victims of sexual abuse in 2012 were not old enough to attend kindergarten. In more than 90% of the cases seen by Texas children’s advocacy centers, the alleged perpetrator was someone the child knows, such as a family member oradult friend.

Other key things to share with your child in this conversation include:

  • Let them understand that no one has the right to ask you do anything uncomfortable with your body. Even if it is a family member or someone who says they love you.
  • There are no secrets with your body of which you should be ashamed. If someone tries to tell them this is a secret, tell the person, “We don’t have those kinds of secrets in our family.”
  • Reassure your child they can always talk to you, no matter how embarrassing or hard it is. Discuss with your child that telling about sexual abuse can be very difficult, but that the abuse won't stop until they tell someone.
  • Have an alternate plan if they can’t talk with you—their teacher, church friend or (a third).

The “No. Go. Tell” PSA is being released statewide to all media markets and is available for viewing and download at .

About Children’s Advocacy Center of Texas

Children’s Advocacy Centers™ of Texas, Inc. (CACTX) is the statewide membership association representing all local children’s advocacy centers in the Lone Star state. The CACTX membership roster includes 66 developing and established centers in large urban cities as well as in small rural communities. The mission of CACTX is to restore the lives of abused children by supporting Children's Advocacy Centers in partnership with local communities and agencies investigating and prosecuting child abuse. For more information visit