Transitioning Times

Studies show that as many as one in four girls and one in six boys will experience sexual abuse by the age of 18.  Nine out of ten child abuse victims know the abuser.  Child sexual abuse can have long-lasting impacts on the victim, including behavior problems, poor school performance, and substance use.  April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Transitions of PA and  Susquehanna Valley CASA – Voices for Children have partnered to bring Matthew Sandusky, adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, to the Lewisburg Area High School Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, 2016.  Matthew will share a message of hope as he talks about his journey of healing to support and encourage others.  Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.  This event is free to the public, but registration is required.  Tickets are available by visiting www.transitionsofpa.org . Matthew is the 2015 recipient of Darkness to Light’s Voice of Courage Award.  Darkness to Light’s mission is to r a

I recently came across an article that documented the finding of a chip inside a trafficking victim. This chip was used to store the victim’s name, date of birth, and other information. The device is similar to ones people use to put in their pets, in case they get lost (Love, 2016).              As someone who is passionate about trafficking survivors and ending human trafficking, I have read a lot of stories and tactics that traffickers use. I have heard about traffickers using physical or sexual harm to keep their victims under their control or even tattoos to brand their victims. This, however, was a first for me. I had never heard of a trafficker using a device like this. This shows me the absolute devaluing of a human being, for the trafficker’s gain. Not only is it possible to buy a human being for less than $90 these days, but you can also keep a chip in them with their information in case they would try to escape.              Using chips is a way for traffickers to