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As crime wave sweeps Baton Rouge, organizations adapting to help children cope
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BATON ROUGE - As Baton Rouge surpassed the city's all-time record for homicides and domestic violence homicides, organizations like the Baton Rouge Children's Advocacy Center are seeing a surge in the need for help.
"Law enforcement is actually bringing more children to us because they are witnesses to domestic violence and crimes of violence," Sharon Pol with the Baton Rouge CAC said. "...besides the regular children we deal with of physical and sexual abuse."
In a typical year, the Baton Rouge CAC, which services several parishes in our area, helps about 500 kids who are victims of physical or sexual abuse. So far this year, they've had that number and an additional 60 more who witnessed violent crimes too. The influx of crimes on our streets is forcing them to add more resources for children who are watching it unfold.
"We have increased our load on therapy and our groups and getting more training to help these children in the ways they need," Pol said. "These things don't always manifest themselves right after something happens. It can be years after."
There are six people who work with the children in hopes of giving them the help they need to overcome what they saw. The stories are horrific: children watching shootings and murders.
As the crime shows no signs of slowing down, the CAC says it stands ready to help.
"I think it's a huge problem," Pol said.
Baton Rouge is among the top 12 cities in America that have broken their all-time murder records this year alone.
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