April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The Families and Communities Together (FACT) Committee is please to announce that child sexual abuse awareness and prevention advocate Erin Merryn will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming FACT 2012 Conference.

Erin Merryn is the author of Stolen Innocence and Living for Today, memoirs about incest and rape. She graduated in May 2009 with a Master’s degree in Social Work from Aurora University. A leading participant in Take Back the Night, her goal is to raise awareness of abuse in order to end the stigma and silence. Since 2004 she has been traveling across America giving inspirational and motivational speeches at national conferences, community events, Children’s Advocacy Centers, colleges, and high schools. She has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America and Montel Williams. Her writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, Daily Herald, and Teen Voices, among others. Erin spends her time between the suburbs of Chicago and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Visit Erin at www.erinmerryn.net.

The FACT conference is sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, Mississippi School Attendance, Family Resource Center of Lee County, and other family-assistance agencies. It is open to the public and will be held in Tupelo on October 9th.

Our theme for 2012 is "Celebrating Community Connections" and several experts will present information on ethics, diversity, social concerns and medical issues that touch the lives of those living in northeast Mississippi.

Parents, teachers, counselors, social workers, nurses youth leaders, congregations and other community stakeholders are invited attend. Go to www.factms.com to get regular updates about confirmed speakers and other events happening at the conference.

Continuing education credits are anticipated pending approval. Subscribe to our feed for the latest updates about this important topic!