Michele Booth Cole is executive director of Safe Shores — The D.C. Children’s Advocacy Center, a nonprofit that works directly with 900 child victims of sexual and physical abuse a year.
How did you come to this job?
I came out of law school and knew I wanted to do something that made a difference in the world. I worked on the Hill and then left for the social justice sector, what you call the nonprofit sector.
What does Safe Shores do?
We have the responsibility of making sure every child has a safe, happy and healthy childhood. It’s a pretty compelling cause: One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused by the time they reach 18.
You bring the parties together?
Rather than have a child go from the police precinct to the social worker to the prosecutor, Safe Shores provides a child-friendly facility where all the adults can come and observe as a trained forensic interviewer listens to the child. The goal is to minimize trauma caused to the child in the course of the investigation. We’re the hub where the people come together.
Where is your space now?
We are on the first floor of the Judiciary Square building. This was supposed to be interim space. We moved in here in 1997.
You’re moving into a new home this year, at the former Bundy School?
The new location is 40,000 square feet. Right now we have one detective and one social worker on-site. In the new space, we’ll have eight detectives and 22 social workers. We’ll have space for medical examinations on-site. We’ll have space for prosecutors on-site. And we’re very excited that we’ll be able to offer more mental health services on-site.
You’ve seen an uptick in abuse with the down economy?
It’s related to stress and people’s inability to manage that, and a lack of resources to support them in their parenting.
