Register now for free symposium addressing child sexual abuse, trafficking and exploitation

MERIT

Protecting Innocence: Addressing Child Sexual Abuse, Trafficking and Exploitation Symposium 2024

The Medical Evaluation Response Initiative Team (MERIT) is hosting a free symposium for physicians, mental health clinicians, law enforcement, educators, social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists and nurses, along with College of Medicine Rockford students, residents, staff and faculty. Community members and anyone who works with children are also welcome.

The symposium will take place on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford, 1601 Parkview Ave. Registration required.

The Medical Evaluation Response Initiative Team (MERIT) is hosting a free symposium for physicians, mental health clinicians, law enforcement, educators, social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists and nurses, along with College of Medicine Rockford students, residents, staff and faculty. Community members and anyone who works with children are also welcome.

Learning Objectives: 

  • Gain an understanding of the physical, emotional and psychological impact of child sexual abuse, sextortion and sex trafficking on victims and learn to recognize signs indicating potential victimization.
  • Acquire knowledge to develop effective prevention strategies and interventions to protect children and adolescents from sexual exploitation, including legal frameworks and community responses.
  • Explore ethical considerations in addressing child sexual abuse, sextortion and sex trafficking and understand the importance of trauma-informed care and survivor-centered approaches in supporting victims.

Speakers:

Erin Merryn, MSW, founder of Erin’s Law, author and activist
A Voice for the Voiceless 

Dana Miller, associate with the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College, analyst for Wisconsin Department of Corrections
Self-Generated Content and Sextortion Awareness and Prevention

Jennifer K. Cacciapaglia, JD, executive director, Mayor’s Office of Domestic and Community Violence Prevention
A Coordinated Community Response to Human Trafficking  

Notify Monica Phillips for any special accommodations at 815-395-5649 or monica8@uic.edu.

PDHs available for Certified Educators courtesy of the Boone-Winnebago Regional Office of Education (ROE4).

CEUs available for Social Workers, Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychologist and Nurses courtesy of Rosecrance Behavioral Health.

This program is funded in part by the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board through the half-cent sales tax.