Child Impact Project Hosts Educational Training To Better Protect Children From Abuse

The Child Impact Projects was started to stand up for children's rights, protect them, and educate people on the effects of child abuse.

Local prosecutors and investigators spoke to a group of front-line workers in the field of working with children, about how to better protect children.

Leaders with Child Impact Projects say whether you are a child crime investigator, a prosecutor, or work for DHS, working together as a team, is the best way to keep children safe.

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler, Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson and other prosecutors were on a panel discussion today at The Summit Club in Downtown Tulsa talking about what it takes to prosecute child abuse cases. Speakers said sexual and physical abuse against children is something people don't want to believe happens, but it does.

Prosecutors say crimes against children are tough to investigate and prosecute because they are dealing with victims who may not be emotionally or mentally mature or even understand the crime. They say dealing with child cases requires investigators and child advocates to really think outside the box.

"What I've learned and what you need to hear as investigators is you cannot take your foot off the pedal. There is a great amount of complacency,” said DA Steve Kunzweiler with the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office.

"I will tell you, everyone here in this room knows, and if you don't know you should know, is that you are leaders. Whether you are advocates or a prosecutor, you need to be a leader. Leaders get paid to fix stuff. so if things are wrong, we need to fix them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. Attorney Johnson also told the audience, “these children don't have a voice... so you need to be that voice for them.”

If you would like to learn more about the non-profit, you can go to ChildImpactProjects.com