Former NFL, ECU football player discusses child abuse prevention
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – As National Child Abuse Prevention Month comes to a close, one local advocacy agency is encouraging people to invest in the lives of at-risk children.
Pat’s Place hosted its Everyday Heroes luncheon at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Tuesday afternoon. The theme highlighted the importance of people who may not be mandated reporters or trained professionals to be prepared to act if a child they know exhibits signs of abuse or neglect.
The event’s keynote speaker was Gaelin Elmore. He is an East Carolina University grad, a former Cincinnati Bengals player and a survivor of child abuse within the foster care system.
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“I get a chance to be here and be a physical representation of the ‘why’ behind Pat’s Place and the kind of work that they do,” said Elmore.
He said it took a lot of personal work to accept that the trauma he experienced will impact him in one way or another in his adult life. Elmore said sharing his story is another way to heal.
“I believe it gives it meaning,” he said. “It gives what I went through and gives my experience a ‘why’ and knowing that it didn’t just stop there in my childhood or the things that I experienced, but that it continues to live and grow and impact other spaces.”
Elmore expressed to the room full of fellow advocates and supporters his journey towards a healthy adult life began with a teacher who paid attention and a kind school custodian who showed genuine compassion.
“That’s the only reason I’m here. That’s the only reason I’m able to do this work,” he said. “That’s the only reason I’m able to share my story is because there were people, who were not the professionals, but they saw an avenue, an opportunity to help a child that needed it, and they acted.”
Pat’s Place executives said more adults should be ready to act.
“Every day we see kids who have experienced the worst forms of violence and abuse in our community,” said Pat’s Place CEO Andrew Oliver. “And often they have told somebody or they’ve told two or three people and they didn’t take that seriously.”
Oliver said law enforcement officials referred 1,017 children to his organization for counseling, forensic interviews or other forms of care last year. That’s a 19 percent increase from 2022, and a 37 percent increase from 2021.
“When they come to Pat’s Place and they can get engaged in therapy that helps them find new coping skills, we see true healing happen, and that’s why we do this work,” Oliver said.
Elmore said he knows he can’t prevent abuse altogether, but can help create a culture where people pay attention to vulnerable kids and prevent another child from feeling as alone as he once did.
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“There are signs and there are cues and there are like little ‘test the water’ kind of things that that young people will do,” Elmore said. “And if we’re present, I think that goes a long way.”
Organizers also took time during the luncheon to highlight some of their recent initiatives, like the Youth Empowerment and Support (YES!) program and the Handle with Care.
The YES! program began in 2022 in partnership with Present Age Ministries. It is a counseling group for teenagers who may be vulnerable to human trafficking or exploitation. Educators talk about internet safety and healthy relationships. Funding for the program came from a grant associated with the American Rescue Plan Act.
Pat’s Place partnered with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to launch the Handle with Care effort. It is a form of a notification system to let school personnel know if a student has recently experienced a traumatic event. This allows staff members to keep a careful watch of the student and if behavioral issues arise, the student can receive counseling as opposed to disciplinary measures. The Handle with Care effort is piloted in 14 CMS schools and Pat’s Place hopes to launch it district-wide soon.
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