Kimberly Gunning-Marcantonio, Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSEC) of Children & Project Manager of Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania (PennCAC), which provides training and resources for Child Advocacy Centers and all professionals in the field of child abuse.
On Sunday, April 21st, St. Brigid’s kicked off its Spring Parish Forum series, with an informative session led by Kimberly Marcantonio with the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania. PennCAC is the statewide agency that provides support to Pennsylvania’s 41 Child Advocacy Centers.
Kimberly cited child human trafficking as second only to drug trafficking as the most lucrative criminal industry in the world. She dispelled many commonly held notions of the issue, notably, that “strangers” are most often the ones who recruit CSEC victims. Most victims are exploited by someone they know: family, friend/boyfriends. Human trafficking occurs in all area of our state — cities, suburban areas and rural areas. Kimberly identified risk factors that leave children more vulnerable to exploitation. Kimberly, touts her passion for Child Advocacy Centers which for over 20 years, by evidenced-based practice, remain the best way to handle child abuse cases.
St. Brigid’s Spring Forum series follows with:
Who Are the Moravians? – Pastor Margaret Hellert, May 19th
LGBTQIA+: Everything You Wanted to Know and Were Afraid to Ask (starting with the initials) – Board Members of the Nazareth/Lehigh Valley Chapter of PFLAG – June 23rd
Forums start approximately 20 minutes after the 10am service, around 11:10.
One need not be at service to attend.