Stats show county filled with sexual predators
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“In Tennessee, the Department of Child Services responds to over 37,000 reports of child abuse annually,” said Dede Vines, a local counselor with Healing Hearts. “Every day, more than 100 children are reported abused or neglected in Tennessee. It is estimated there are more than 60 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America today.”
The statistics were particularly disturbing for people in Warren County, according to Vines.
“Warren County has the highest incidence rate of child abuse per 1,000 in the population in the entire Upper Cumberland region of Middle Tennessee,” Vines reported. “Warren County is one of only nine counties in the state that rank in the top two categories of incidence rates of child abuse.”
Vines was one of an array of speakers that also included Tom Evans of the Knoxville police department, and local school counselors Barbara George and Kay Brownyard. The program, moderated by WCPI radio personality and county commissioner Bill Zechman and underwritten by River Park Hospital, was broadcast live on WCPI Public Radio, and will be rebroadcast in its entirety on Tuesday, May 31 at 5 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to tune in to this program which offers information every parent or caregiver should know about the dangers our children face in society today.
Though organizers acknowledge the subject is a difficult one to discuss, and that many would prefer not to talk about it, Zechman says it is imperative to break through this barrier, and he is proud to be part of an effort in Warren County to move toward that goal.
“We’ve broken the ice,” Zechman said, noting that is what the Signs of the Crimes program was ultimately designed to do, along with providing concerned citizens with the information they need to battle the growing problem of child sexual abuse.
The program received attention from two Nashville networks with both channels 2 and 5 sending crews to cover the event.
Zechman, who presented much of his portions of the program announcements in both Spanish and English, said it is especially important to include the Hispanic population in the effort to prevent child exploitation and sexual abuse because they can be particularly vulnerable.
“In cases of sexual abuse of children, or even rape, they are extremely reluctant to go to the authorities because they may be illegal and they are afraid they will be turned in,” Zechman said, noting he wanted to do everything he can to reverse that impression.
“I’ll say this for the record,” Zechman said. “I’ve talked to law enforcement people locally and they say they are not an extension of the INS, and if a crime has been committed, it needs to be reported, and they’re not going to do anything about turning people in to the INS.”
Zechman said the reaction from the community on Signs of the Crimes was encouraging.
“I was amazed at the response from people in the school system, law enforcement and civic clubs,” he said. “Everybody came together. When anybody was called on to do something, they did it with enthusiasm. I am happy that Warren County, as a community, broke the ice on this subject. I think we need to talk about this openly and in public.”