Dickerson Children's Advocacy Center

For 30 years, Dickerson Children's Advocacy Center (DCAC) has been a place of safety, hope and healing for child abuse victims to recover and thrive from horrific trauma and abuse. DCAC is the only nonprofit in the Midlands dedicated to eradicating child abuse by facilitating a multidisciplinary rapid response to allegations of child abuse. DCAC is committed to the safety, forensic assessments, advocacy, and overall well-being of child abuse victims ages 2-18.

The children we care for are victims of all forms of maltreatment and trauma including physical and sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation, human trafficking, and exposure to violence or drugs. Child abuse and trauma is often linked to mental health challenges throughout the lifespan including an increased risk of depression and suicide.

Many times, child abuse victims exhibit behavioral and mental health challenges that may appear as irritability, depression, negative behaviors, difficulty sleeping, and other traumatic stress symptoms. Often, they engage in numerous health-compromising behaviors, which - if left unidentified and untreated - create negative patterns of behavior leading to costly health needs and limited employability that continues into adulthood.

DCAC delivers a holistic incubator of integrated services to identify, treat and empower abused children so they can reach their full potential. Child trauma experts gently lead them through the investigative processes and nurture healing and recovery to mitigate the life-altering effects of abuse and trauma to create a pathway of hope and healing for child abuse victims to thrive!

In 2024, more than 1,000 vulnerable, broken children courageously walked through our doors (more than a dozen each week)! Sexual abuse is the most prevalent form of abuse, and the majority of children are between the ages of 2 to 12. Our professional clinicians provide forensic interviews, medical exams with labs, advocacy and trauma therapy for the children and families.

To advance the safety and well-being of each victim, DCAC convenes a multidisciplinary team of professionals representing key victim response agencies to mitigate gaps in systems coordination and to ensure the child's well-being is prioritized. Each month, the collective authority of this team is dedicated to reviewing all new confirmed child abuse cases, as well as monitoring the progress of previous cases until an appropriate resolution is achieved to mitigate tragic outcomes for these children.

Testimonials

The transformative power of trauma-focused therapy can be seen in the eyes and heard in the voices of children when hope and healing replace fear, distrust, and deep emotional pain. They see themselves through a clearer lens that isn't marred by the abuse and abuser, and their words become hope-filled knowing this trauma does not have to define them or diminish their future.

This transformation is brilliantly articulated by a young victim of sexual abuse who stated on the first day of therapy, "You can't fix me. I'm worthless and will never be safe again." Yet, upon therapy graduation day, inspirational words of hope and healing were declared, "My heart isn't broken anymore and I've found hope again. I'm going to become a therapist one day so I can help children like me." A sense of passion and purpose has been ignited!

Listen to the amazing transformation in the voice of a young adolescent who was sexually abused by a church member. "Although I wish I would have told someone sooner, I'm happy I talked to you because now I know this was not my fault and he should have never done that to me. Thank you for making me feel brave and strong again - no one can hurt me now." Courage and resiliency have displaced fear and shame.