Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin spoke at the opening of the Prince William County Child Advocacy Center (CAC). The Child Advocacy Center will provide coordinated services for child victims of abuse in a safe and child-friendly environment. Supervisor Franklin championed the cause of a child advocacy center when she learned of what happens in jurisdictions without one and how a child can be re-traumatized by a system that does not always focus on the child’s best-interests.  One of her budget priorities upon election was to advocate for the initial funding for the center.

The Prince William CAC will be a collaborative effort between Child Protective Services, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, the County Attorney’s Office, and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the child victim of abuse is not re-traumatized by their involvement in the criminal justice system.

According to Franklin, “I know that at the CAC, a child victim, who has been abused, will be the center of attention. The child victim will receive the support and services needed to address current and future needs. The child victim will be surrounded by a skilled and trained team of professionals who will put the child first. But also, the CAC will make it possible to hold more offenders accountable for their actions.”