Expanding Outreach to DC's At-Risk Youth

Restoration Ministries (RM) has been given the opportunity to serve high-risk youth, ages 15-21, committed at a recreation center in NW, DC! In DC, 18 year olds are not automatically emancipated from the system since committed youth exhibit a habit of getting into trouble. Committing these young people in the system, whether that system is foster care, juvenile detention or both, provides a way to wrap extra services around them to help ensure success as a young adult.

The recreation center consists of approximately 175 teens. Most are male, some are female, and a few identify as transgender. Many of the youth do not have nurturing relationships in their lives. Most have no clue about the identity of their biological father or their father has been locked up and they have no relationship with him. These youth experience mental health issues, drug addictions, and struggle to understand the need for an education.

At the center, our clinical therapist spends a considerable amount of time meeting the youth in their circumstances; playing pool, ping pong, and just chatting in the lounge. These times provide precious and necessary interactions, building a strong foundation so that the youth will be able to trust the therapist. This enables us to effectively screen for sexual abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. We also offer a weekly psychotherapy group on various topics that appeal to the youth. So far the youth express interest in discussing and receiving help for their anger.

Recently a mother came to one of the meetings and imparted wisdom to the group regarding her mistakes in dealing with anger. The youth received her honesty, allowing them to discuss positive coping skills. A young male shared about his issues with the group home and his desire to be reunited with his family. He said that he is trying stay under the radar (not get into any trouble) so that he can get discharged. Another youth discussed how the loss of a family member has been hard for her to deal with yet she desires to be a role model for her younger sister. These meetings help the youth gain awareness about how their decisions influence their future, including their chances of being discharged from the group home. 

We count it a privilege and honor to sow into the lives of these youth. We ask for your prayers for continued favor with the youth, their families, and the city. We also ask for wisdom and discernment as we bring the light of Christ to the dark places.    

The Ripple Effect of Abuse

Advocates for survivors of sexual assault carry an urgent message to the public. This message explains the ripple effect abuse has on victims, family members, and communities. Sallie Culbreth, Founder and Director of Committed to Freedom, wrote a recent article about victim blaming. She wisely places responsibility for victimization and its consequences with perpetrators and indifferent bystanders. Her insights will help readers become more aware of the impact of abuse.

Feeling the Impact's Ripple

I'm a seasoned traveler - meaning that while some families need a mud room, we need a suitcase room because I'm either packing or unpacking. This week, I was scheduled for a flight that coincided on a day that was extremely stormy throughout most of the country. Consequently, flights were cancelled or delayed in a domino-fall kind of way until it impacted me. All my flights were so delayed that I never made it on a plane. Not only that, but I didn't make it to my destination, which meant that the group that brought me in had to scramble to come up with a Plan-B because it was doubtful I would make my first presentation.

Abuse impacts the victim in devastating ways, but that impact can ripple out with the potential of taking out many more people and opportunities than the abuse recipient. We saw this a few years ago with the exposure of Jerry Sandusky's predatory sexual abuse of children facilitated by his affluence in the Penn State football program. As the facts unfolded, it was revealed that the actions of this man were known, covered up, and allowed to continue for years by an entire institution of the university's and community's leaders. The NCAA sent a clear and appropriate message with stiff sanctions, drawing a line in the sand that declared this kind of intentional blindness, callous indifference for the victims, and breathtaking cowardice will not be tolerated. The result: the actions of this one predator destroyed the lives of his victims, his family, his charity, and his university's football program. Who was to blame for this ripple? Jerry Sandusky and the cowards who looked the other way.

In another recent story, a high school football program in New Jersey was suspended because of a hazing incident that boiled down to sexual assault of younger, new players by other students. What was stunning to me was the uproar that took place when the season was cancelled by the school superintendent. Who was to blame for this cancelled season? Those who committed these atrocities.

In my home state, we have had a series of high profile sexual assault cases that have been treated in a cavalier and irresponsible manner, in my opinion, including the bonding out of a man accused of serial rape and kidnapping in my own community. His victims were terrified and his freedom meant that our community was filled with anxiety and fear until he was again arrested on additional charges. Another case involved a 31 year old woman sexually assaulting a 13 year old boy and two young teen girls. What is stunning about this is the victim blaming that has taken place on public forums.

Abuse and sexual assault needs to be taken seriously, understood accurately, and not tolerated under any circumstances with very firm and clear cultural, political, religious, and social sanctions. There is most definitely a ripple effect when predators act that can often take down many others besides the actual victims. People may raise a ruckus about football programs or churches or clubs or schools that suffer the consequences, but the blame rests squarely on the predators and those who facilitate their predatory behavior.

Amplify the outrage of a lost football season with the shame, humiliation, and suffering of the victims. THEN look me in the eye and tell me it's not fair. And here's the bottom line: it is not fair that a predator has stolen so much, hurt so many, and violated the vulnerable. Organizations and communities will either take these situations seriously or there will be sanctions that have a ripple effect which stings enough to change the attitudes and actions of those who would otherwise choose to look the other way.

© 2014

Written by Sallie Culbreth, M.S. - Founder

This article was reprinted with the permission of Ms. Culbreth. To read more articles or to learn about her organization, please visit www.committedtofreedom.org