Three times in a week police filed pretty disturbing child sex charges against county residents.

Obviously, those who have been charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. But one thing that was evident from the affidavits of probable cause in all three cases was the importance of the work done by the Warren Child Advocacy Center. The center was involved in all three cases, providing a place for children who said they were sexually assaulted with a trained staff to help them deal with situations most families can’t even imagine.

When there are allegations of child abuse or neglect, a Child Advocacy Center brings together all of the necessary experts under one roof.

There is no need for a child, possibly already traumatized, to tell his or her story to a teacher, then a counselor, a caseworker, maybe visit multiple hospitals, speak with police, prosecutors, and eventually have to testify in court.

The person receiving the initial complaint and passing it on will be put in touch with the CAC from the beginning. The child will be interviewed by one person who is trained in juvenile forensic interviewing and child development. Police and prosecutors may watch that interview without being in the room. Any medical needs will be identified at the CAC and the child will be sent to one facility for all the necessary treatment and evaluation.

Children who have been sexually assaulted don’t need the trauma of multiple interviews with investigators as part of an investigation. The work the Child Advocacy Center does is invaluable to children and their families.

It’s worth keeping the cases we wrote about last week in mind when fundraisers for the Child Advocacy Center pop up, including the January Miles Challenge that wrapped up Friday. The Warren County Child Advocacy Center is in its eighth year, with Melissa McLean in her seventh year as executive director. It’s hard to imagine how cases like the ones filed last week progressed without the center – and we hope we won’t have to find out.