Angela Williams discusses the trauma a victim of child sexual abuse faces and how we can protect our children.

Video Transcript:

Reporter: Sixteen minutes past the hour and we're waiting for the jury in Jerry Sandusky’s case to reach a decision. But remember, much of this case hinges on the testimony of eight alleged abuse victims. And as the jury deliberates, we want to look at some of the signs of sexual abuse and ways that we can recognize a victim.

Angela Williams joins us. She's the founder of Voice Today, which promotes education for adults on how to help abuse victims speak. Kind of break that silence. And it's amazing because I know, Angela, you've suffered 14 years of abuse from your stepfather starting at the age of three years old. And it made me think, how do adults manipulate the mind of a children to keep them silent?

Angela Williams: By fear, by threats, by making the child feel somehow, they were responsible, or that they were consensual in the act. And by just grooming them. Grooming is a process we really don't understand, but we see it very vividly in this case. These children were given attention, they were given affirmation, they were given gifts, they were given special treatment.

Reporter: And we know grooming lasts for years, right? It's not something that it's just a week or two.

Angela Williams: And it lasts for years. And also, the perpetrator may groom for some time before they actually act.

Reporter: So what do we as adults need to be very cognizant of when looking at children and identifying some possible signs, particularly if they're not going to open up to us?

Angela Williams: We need to look at drastic changes in behavior. Sometimes there are lots of signs, sometimes there are no signs. We need to be asking our children. We need to be having these conversations. We need to layer these conversations. We need to know that they may not disclose the first time that you ask, but you need to continue to ask. Has anyone touched you uncomfortably? Made you feel uncomfortable? Touched your private parts? Look at how they respond to you.

Reporter: Yeah, help us out. Give us some more verbiage that we should use with our kids.

Angela Williams: Well, we need to recognize that they're uncomfortable with someone. I think there was some testimony where the children just did not want to go spend time with Sandusky.

So, we need to pay attention. If our child doesn't want to go someplace.

Reporter: Don’t force them to do it.

Angela Williams: Don’t force any affection. You know at reunions, we want our children to kiss and hug everyone in the family. We need to let our children have control of their personal power, their personal boundaries, and they have the decision over their affection and who they choose to share affection with.

Reporter: So, what do kids or adult victims need from us? What can we do?

Angela Williams: They need compassion. Our entire society needs to understand that this is a trauma. That children just don't forget about it and don't get over it.

So, survivors need a nurturing and compassionate society to help them heal. Our society wants survivors to go behind closed doors for an hour a week with a therapist and heal. And we need to heal in community. We need to remove the shame from these survivors and place it on the perpetrators. We need to remove the stigma on this issue.

Reporter: And remind us real quickly before we go, the website.

Angela Williams: Voicetoday.org. Voice today. And we are breaking the silence and the cycle through awareness, prevention and healing programs.

Reporter: Well, you are, good heavens. I mean, you're a doll and I can't believe what you've been able to do with your own trauma.

So, thank you for sharing. Thank you for talking about it.

Angela Williams: We want to be a voice for all survivors. It's time we stand up and we can't regain our own innocence, but we can protect the next generation of children.

Reporter: Thank you so much. Angela, so good to have you here. Voicetoday.org, remember. And thanks again.