Page 25 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2026

Child Advocacy Centers. Of those children, 52 percent were seen due to sexual abuse and 33 percent due to physical abuse, underscoring the severity and prevalence of abuse across communities. Child advocacy centers conducted 4,871 forensic interviews and provided 5,562 mental health services, ensuring children received timely, trauma-informed care. Notably, nearly 62 percent of the children were 12 or younger, with 25 percent of the children under the age of six, highlighting both the vulnerability of very young children and the importance of early intervention.
Core services provided through the child advocacy center network include developmentally appropriate forensic interviews conducted by specially trained professionals, coordination of medical and mental health care, family advocacy, and ongoing support throughout investigative and judicial processes. Child advocacy centers also serve as a bridge for caregivers, helping them understand next steps and access resources that support their child’s healing and long-term safety.
Prevention remains a critical part of this work. Parents,
caregivers, and educators play an essential role in protecting children, and many seek guidance on how to have age- appropriate conversations about body safety and boundaries. Local child advocacy centers and Children’s Advocacy Centers of MississippiTM offer training and education for adults who want to better understand warning signs of abuse and learn how to talk with children or students in ways that are developmentally appropriate and trauma-informed. Given the number of very young children affected, starting these conversations early, and continuing them as children grow, is essential.
Readers can also help strengthen Mississippi’s response to child abuse through advocacy, financial support of local child advocacy centers, volunteering, and sharing information about prevention and available resources within their communities. Protecting children is a shared responsibility, and in Mississippi, working together is how we make it happen.
To learn more about how you can get involved or contribute financially to this work statewide, visit www.childadvocacyms.org.
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