A segment on Tuesday’s “Oprah Winfrey Show” will highlight two Kansas girls’ survival and ultimate escape from sexual abuse by several family members.
Kellie and Kathie Henderson’s harrowing tale was first brought to light by The Wichita Eagle in a series of stories, “Promise Not to Tell.”
The program, scheduled at 4 p.m., will feature many of the heroes who helped end the abuse: the girls themselves, for disclosing their abuse and ending the secrecy; their neighbors, for believing the girls and taking action; and the response team, law enforcement, social workers and others who protected the girls and held their offenders accountable.
“These heroes exist right here in our local community,” said Donita Garner, coordinator of the Hope Unlimited Child Advocacy Center in Iola. “We work with them every day. The kids that walk through our doors are heroes. The professionals that treat the children, investigate and prosecute their crimes, they’re all heroes to us.”
The children’s advocacy center provides children disclosing abuse a safe place to tell the details of their abuse to trained professionals. The center coordinates a team approach to the investigation and secures medical and mental health services for the children.
“I hope anyone who watches this episode will be called to action … to disclose their own abuse, to report the abuse of another or to learn ways we can work to keep kids safe from abuse,” said Dorothy Sparks, executive director of Hope Unlimited, in a press release.
For more information about child sexual abuse and resources available to families affected by abuse, contact Garner at 620-365-2016.
‘Oprah’ features Kansas girls
