Models of Prevention
Primary prevention means stopping abuse before it happens. This is the most familiar level of prevention. Even if abuse has already occurred, there are still opportunities to prevent it from continuing. Read more about the levels of prevention and how we provide them at the CAC.
Primary Prevention
Primary prevention means stopping abuse before it happens. This is the most familiar level of prevention.
Examples of Primary Prevention at the CAC:
Body safety presentations in schools
Educating adults on how to minimize risk of abuse
Working with organization to establish safety practices to prevent opportunity for abuse
Secondary Prevention
Even if abuse has already occurred, there is still the opportunity to prevent it from continuing. The goal of secondary prevention is to intervene in the short term in order to reduce further abuse.
Examples of Secondary Prevention at the CAC:
Family advocacy to help navigate the court system
Medical exam by pediatricians with expertise in child abuse
Training and coordinating the MDT to respond effectively to abuse
Tertiary Prevention
Tertiary prevention is a more long-term strategy that seeks to minimize the impact of sexual abuse on victims and promote resiliency. It is aimed at mitigating the effects of trauma through direct services like counseling or advocacy.
Examples of Tertiary Prevention at the CAC:
Offering support groups for victims/survivors
Having clinicians trained in evidence-based modalities to treat trauma
Ongoing support and advocacy for families around resource navigation
Providing Problematic Sexual Behavior services to curb these behaviors and prevent escalation and possible victimization
Prevention Impact Numbers
We are in 97% of elementary schools in Ottawa County, educating kids kindergarten through 4th grade on body safety.
17,616 kids heard prevention messages in elementary schools in 2023
1,390 adults received prevention education in 2023