By Danielle Skinner
WACO- The number of children making an outcry for sexual assault is growing at an alarming rate. Waco's advocacy center is having to expand due to the increased number of cases.
The program director, Dr. Kerry Burkley sees more and more children enter the advocacy center every month.
"Child abuse happens everywhere and a lot," Burkley explained. "More kids are out from school and from their regular routine, and a lot of folks who perp on children find more access to children."
The time of year is not the only reason why more children are asking for help.
"There's an effort in the community to educate folks in the community about these kinds of cases," Burkley said.
The overflow of outcries from children has the center looking at other ways to tackle their investigations. When a child first makes a cry for help, they are brought to a room for a forensic interview. In the room is a glass window. It's see-through so that investigators can listen in on the other side.
Once the forensic interviews and a medical exam is completed, the advocacy center gives their findings to detectives, who conclude whether or not the child was hurt. Counseling for the victim and the family is also offered here.
Now Waco's advocacy center will have to clear out space and create another room so that they can keep up with the heavy number of cases.
"It will increase our ability to see them and will shorten the time in which we have to wait to schedule the forensic interview," Burkley said.
As the advocacy center adds space, executive director Amy Perkins says the center is also adding a 24-hour hot line.
"We will get up in the night and meet them here at the Waco office to do an emergency forensic interview," Perkins said.
The advocacy center serves the following counties: Falls, Hill, Bosque, McLennan, Limestone, and has recently added Freestone county to that list. The center relies on state funding, donations and partnerships to grow.
