Child Abuse Survivors Speak Out

April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. It`s a crime that impacts the lives of thousands of children right here in Northwest Arkansas every day. KNWA`s Alexa Hamblin reports on how one area shelter is working to break the cycle of abuse. Matt Christians is a child abuse survivor who knows that his stay at the Northwest Arkansas Children`s Shelter as a frightened nine-year-old put an end to the cycle of abuse in his life. He is now a father of two. "I could never imagine putting my hands on them," Matt says. "After what I went through, to see what any kid has to go through, I wouldn`t do it." The Northwest Arkansas Children`s Shelter`s mission is to put an end to that cycle of abuse with a number of resources -- showing children of abuse that they are loved and that they are now safe. "You could go somewhere and not be laughed at, not be touched, not be yelled at, or be around drinking or drugs or whatever," Matt explains. At the shelter, the kids sleep, eat, play and and attend school. They also receive the counseling they need to heal from the worst moments of their young lives. "They were supportive, and they understood what was going on and they knew when we had had hard days, and that was important," recounts Jennifer Algee. Jennifer Algee stayed at the Northwest Arkansas Children`s Shelter four times when she was growing up. The physical and sexual abuse that she and her siblings endured was no match for the love and compassion they received when they were here. "Our whole purpose is to make sure the child feel cared for, loved, safe and protected," explains NWACS Executive Director Jack Eaton. That`s why Jennifer is back, this time as an employee. She wants comfort other children of abuse so that they can know the peace that she found. The Northwest Arkansas Children`s Shelter, located in Bentonville, takes in about 300 children a year, and they turn away another 600 or more because they can only accommodate 32 children at a time. To learn more about child abuse and how you can help, click on the link to your upper right. For KNWA... Northwest Arkansas News... I`m Alexa Hamblin.