This article discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call RAINN’s national sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for confidential support.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Willow Tree Cornerstone Advocacy Center in Green Bay is focused on helping kids work through abuse and trauma. The center serves thousands of children every year.
Tana Koss, the vice president of programs and strategies with Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, described the sensitive nature of the work.
“When a child comes to Willow Tree, it could be for any type of alleged abuse. Sexual assault is the most common,” Koss said. “For about 45% of the children that we serve, the allegation is sexual abuse. But drug endangerment, physical child abuse and all different kinds of child abuse can be the allegation that brings a child here.”
Willow Tree also does a lot of advocacy work for crime and violence prevention.
“Elevating the conversation of the importance of prevention will positively impact all of the prevention work we’re trying to do through multiple programs at Family Services,” Koss said. “Prevention is often underfunded and kind of forgotten. It is so critical to the safety of our community.”
Gov. Tony Evers visited the center Tuesday, after signing an executive order creating a new Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention. This new state office is designed to work with, and support, local groups doing the work in communities around the state.
“At the end of the day, the state has to take a role in this,” Evers said. “It can’t just happen at the local level."
The goal is to build a more unified approach that also enlists school districts, law enforcement agencies and gun sellers in the fight to stop senseless violence.
Koss said it’s a necessary effort.
“We are working really hard at the community level to prevent a child from ever having to come to Willow Tree, but when they do, I feel 100% that healing starts the moment they walk in,” she said. “Just telling their story is a huge part of that.”
Green Bay launched its own Office of Violence Prevention nearly two years ago. Milwaukee has one as well.
However, not all state leaders are in favor of Evers creating a similar office at the state level.
Republican State Sen. Van Wannggard said growing state government isn’t the answer to battling crime. He said he believes a better method would be making sure law enforcement has adequate tools and staffing to fight crime and violence.