Walk With Lauren’s Kids To Help Prevent Sexual Abuse And Support Survivors

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This is a sponsored post. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

As a parent of a child with Down syndrome I can totally relate to people that advocate for causes. Advocating can be a tough road to take, as not everyone views each cause or the importance of it the same. One cause I know we can all agree is important is child welfare. Sadly, sexual abuse is happening in our society today.

Lauren Book is an internationally renowned and respected child advocate. A former classroom teacher, Book has been named a L’Oreal Paris Woman of Worth and a PEOPLE All-Stars Among Us. She is an Emmy-nominated and Gracie Award-winning television producer,  featured by USA Today, ABC’s “Katie,” FOX News, CNN’s HLN, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, and Maria Shriver’s Architects of Change.  She is a sought-after public speaker, and has addressed notable groups such as UNICEF and a symposium in The Hague. She was awarded a Congressional Medal of Merit for her tireless work to protect childhood. She is a victim of childhood sexual abuse.

Along with her many other accolades, Lauren is an author, both of the memoir It’s OK To Tell and of the children’s book Lauren’s Kingdom. It’s Ok To Tell is Lauren’s own memoir. Lauren’s Kingdom is Lauren’s first book for children. In it she uses the characters to help children understand that if something doesn’t feel right to them they are encouraged to speak up without feeling ashamed. Lauren’s Kids have partnered with Bloomingdale’s for the release of Lauren’s Kingdom. Lauren will be at Bloomingdale’s in New York City (59th & Lexington) on March 7th. She will be there from 2:30 to 3:30pm for a signing and educational reading. After the book release event in New York City, Lauren will return home to Florida for similar events. 100% of the proceeds from the book will benefit the Lauren’s Kids Foundation and the fight for child abuse prevention here in Florida and across the country.

Lauren’s passion for this topic and important cause stems from personal experience. When Lauren was 10 years old a new female nanny joined the family. After she turned 11, and for the next six years, Lauren endured daily sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. She has channeled her own horrific personal experiences into education, legislation, and support to prevent childhood sexual abuse across the globe. Founder and CEO of the nonprofit organization Lauren’s Kids, her mission is to end the abuse that affects 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys in the U.S. Together with her father, Lauren has led a successful legislative onslaught against predators, influencing the passage of nearly two-dozen Florida laws to protect children.

A big part of what Lauren does to carry out her mission is educating others. Lauren created and now teaches a Pre-K to grade 12 in-school curriculum that provides children with the necessary tools to be the first line of defense against abuse. Lauren’s Kids also provides education for teachers, parents and youth-serving organizations as well.

Another large part of what Lauren does is walk. 2015 marks Lauren’s 6th annual 1,500-mile statewide Walk in My Shoes journey across Florida to end child sexual abuse and help survivors heal. Over the years she has logged more than 6,000 miles. Tens of thousands of survivors and other supporters have walked with her, including the Miami Heat and the Miami Dolphins. The 2015 Walk takes place from March 14 to April 22, timed to occur during National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month. If you aren’t in Florida you can still support the cause with a donation.

CONNECT

Lauren’s Kids website – Lauren’s Kids on Facebook – Lauren’s Kids on Twitter