Child Advocacy Center Opens in Court House

COURT HOUSE – Cape May County’s new Child Advocacy Center is unassuming. It blends right into its residential setting on Court House-South Dennis Road, but the new building, spearheaded by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and funded by a grant from the state, is an important tool in the fight against child abuse.
Child advocacy centers are essentially ‘safe spaces’ for children who might be suffering from abuse. Without centers like these – filled with toys, couches, and a warm atmosphere like a residential home – children are often taken to police stations and courthouses to be queried about harrowing instances of neglect or abuse. The colder, more clinical feeling of those settings can make children feel interrogated rather than cared for.
Nearly a hundred community leaders and locals showed up for the center’s grand opening April 19. The building was packed – attendees excitedly explored the “house” and soaked in the atmosphere.
Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland welcomed guests into the kitchen area and thanked the community for their outpouring of support.
Ashley Marriner, a lieutenant with the Prosecutor’s Office, said the new center is “more than just the walls that are put up. This is a place where we can stop the abuse.”
Jennifer Caprioni, director of the Child Advocacy Center, said that the project has been “five or six” years in the making. It was made possible through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and help from the county to scout the location.
“Kids are interviewed here by specially trained forensics officers who work with kids all the time. Statistically, this is better for the kids. Interviewing them in a setting like this leads to better outcomes,” Caprioni said to the Herald in a brief interview on opening day in the center’s busy halls.
Debbie Riveros, executive director of the New Jersey Children’s Alliance, stressed that centers like this will serve all the children of New Jersey.
“Our kids deserve a safe space like this,” she said.
The newly built center in Court House is the latest piece of the puzzle. The Alliance is working alongside state agencies to open a Child Advocacy Center in all 21 counties.
Cape May County Commissioner Vice-Director E. Marie Hayes came to the opening. She was unable to speak due to an oral injury, but it was obvious from her facial expressions, and tears, that the center and its mission mean a lot to her.
Sutherland spoke on her behalf and said that Hayes’ time as an investigator at the Prosecutor’s Office gives the mission personal meaning to her.
Middle Township Mayor Tim Donohue was also present. He said that the center is only a half-mile from his home.
“How lucky we are to have this in our town,” he said to a packed room.
Commissioner Director Leonard Desiderio appeared alongside Hayes to celebrate the opening.
“This is a proud day for Cape May County,” he said. “We hope we don’t have to use this house – but when we do, it’s a place that is safe. It’s a place that shows love, it’s a place that we can be proud of.” 
Contact the author, Collin Hall, at chall@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 156.