At Safe Passage, we are committed to meeting survivors where they are- including our youngest community members. One of our expanding and growing initiatives, Sexual Assault Children’s Counseling, provides specialized, developmentally appropriate support for children ages 4+ who have experienced sexual abuse or assault.
While Safe Passage has always served survivors of all ages, this program offers the benefit of a dedicated children’s counselor focused exclusively on the unique needs of young survivors. Services emphasize building rapport and trust, fostering autonomy, and creating a safe, supportive space where children can process trauma at their own pace. Sessions explore topics such as personal safety, healthy relationships, boundaries, emotional regulation, and coping skills (and more) – all tailored to the child’s age and developmental stage.
Understanding that children communicate and heal in many different ways, our counseling sessions incorporate a variety of expressive and play-based techniques, including sand tray, art, music, and other interactive modalities. These approaches allow children to share and process experiences in ways that feel safe and natural to them.
We also recognize that barriers such as transportation, scheduling, or family obligations can prevent children from accessing in-office services. To reduce these barriers, we partner with schools throughout DeKalb County to provide counseling during school hours when appropriate and consent, ensuring greater access to care in a familiar and supportive environment.
The impact of sexual abuse on children can be wide-ranging and deeply personal. Children may experience changes in mood, behavior, sleep patterns, academic performance, or relationships with peers and family members. Some may exhibit anxiety, withdrawal, irritability, regression, difficulty concentrating, or heightened fears related to safety. Others may struggle to articulate what they are feeling, instead communicating distress through behavior. Understanding these trauma responses is a critical part of the healing process.
When a child is harmed, the impact extends beyond the individual survivor- it affects the entire family system. Parents and caregivers often experience intense emotions such as anger, guilt, grief, fear, or self-blame. They may question whether they missed warning signs or feel overwhelmed by navigating systems such as schools, medical providers, or legal processes. In some case, a child’s disclosure can also trigger unresolved trauma in caregivers who may have experienced sexual assault themselves.
At Safe Passage, we approach families with compassion and without judgement. Family counseling sessions focus on strengthening communication, rebuilding trust, and creating a supportive home environment where children feel believed, safe, and empowered. Caregivers receive education about trauma responses, boundaries, consent, grooming behaviors, and safe dating practices, along with practical tools for responding to disclosures and managing difficult conversations.
When a caregiver’s own trauma history is activated, we offer validation and connect them with our adult sexual assault counselors to ensure they receive individualized support. By caring for caregivers as well as children, we strengthen the family’s overall resilience and capacity for healing.
This holistic approach recognizes that recovery is not an individual journey, it is a family process. By supporting both children and their caregivers, we help build a stronger foundation for long-term healing, connection, and safety.
Meet our Sexual Assault Children’s Counselor:
Jasmine is a licensed social worker and graduated with her Master of Social Work degree from Aurora University and also holds a Bachelor of Science in family and child studies from Northern Illinois University. Jasmine started her career with Safe Passage during her undergrad in 2016 and held both a Residential Case Manager and Sexual Assault Legal Advocate role before leaving in 2019 to pursue her MSW. During her time away, Jasmine gained experience as a correctional officer for youth incarcerated, provided EAP counseling, and was part of a mobile crisis response team. Jasmine returned to Safe Passage in 2023 and is currently working as a Sexual Assault Children’s Counselor. Jasmine has a strong passion for raising awareness, advocacy, and helping those impacted by interpersonal violence and is grateful to be apart of an agency that does just that.
