The big front door opens just as I’m walking up to it and a smiling face appears, welcoming me into a foyer area filled with stuffed animals of all different colors. I immediately feel at home as we walk into a comfy family room with toys, couches and even a fire in the fireplace.

The next two rooms make me realize the harsh, unfortunate reality of why Dove House Children’s Advocacy Center needs to exist – a medical examination room and a small interview room.

Dove House in Statesville serves victims of child sexual abuse and their non-offending family members in Iredell and Alexander Counties.

Meeting a Need
Prior to its opening in 2002, there was no central facility in this area to serve victims of child sexual abuse. Many times a child would disclose that they had been sexually abused to a teacher and the teacher would report it to the principal who would then report it to law enforcement. The child would experience an average of 6-9 interviews, having to retell their account over and over, reliving a nightmare they had tried to forget.

After learning about the well intended, but uncoordinated process through a personal experience of a committee member, a small group of six volunteers formed a Steering Committee to create a Children’s Advocacy Center in Iredell County.

Since then, Dove House has provided direct services to over 1,800 reported child victims, plus over 4,400 “secondary” victims (e.g. parents, siblings, etc.), and the successful prosecution rate of child sex offenders in Iredell and Alexander counties has increased from less than 20% to 87%.

Dove House Team
Now the Dove House team includes the executive director, a trained forensic interviewer who conducts legally sound interviews in a child-friendly environment and two victim advocates to walk alongside the victims through the entire process.

The team works closely with Law Enforcement, the Department of Social Services, the District Attorney, therapists and anyone else working on the case needing information.

During the interviews these members watch live via a video camera from the team room, allowing everyone to get the information needed in the case from only one interview.

Standing by Their Side
Finding out your child has been sexually molested and trying to move the case through the court system can be very challenging to many families. The victim advocates, Candy Feimster and Teresa Naylor, greet families the first time they walk through the front door of the Dove House and stay by their side through the entire process.

“We help determine their insurance and help with bills and grocery expenses, especially if the offender is the breadwinner of the family,” Feimster said. “We call to check on them, set up therapy and help them understand the legal process.”

While many times their jobs are difficult as they deal with the hardships of these families affected by child sexual abuse, Dove House staff says there are many rewards as well. They keep in contact with many of the children they meet and sometimes are even invited to their graduations and learn about their weddings and children’s births.

Naylor says she gives many children a stuffed animal as they are leaving Dove House. Many times that stuffed animal becomes so special to them and they keep it for years.

“You’d think they would associate the stuffed animal with something negative and want to throw it away,” Naylor said. “That just shows you the experience they have here, it’s a positive memory. Someone actually takes the time to listen to their story.”

Dove House has listened to many stories and gets an average of five cases each week.

The Next Chapter
After ten years of leadership, executive Brenda Deal retired in early April and Dove House hired a new director, Ken Wooten.

“This is a bittersweet moment for me, because Dove House is a big piece of my heart and always will be, Deal said. “But I firmly believe God has once again blessed this organization by bringing us a person to whom I am more than comfortable ‘turning over the reins‘. With the superb clinical staff that we have, and now the outstanding leadership skills that Ken brings, Dove House is well positioned for continued success in serving children and families that are suffering because of child sexual abuse. And besides, I’m not going far; I intend to remain very involved as a volunteer and board member – something that seems to give Ken an added level of comfort as he embarks on a new career in the non-profit world!”

Deal’s passion for the Dove House shines through. Now, it’s on to the next chapter.