NOVA & Bucks County Officials Join Forces

Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA), Bucks County’s comprehensive victim service agency for victims of sexual assault and other serious crimes, recently announced it has partnered with Bucks County Commissioners Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, Robert J. Harvie Jr., and Gene DiGirolamo in its campaign to end Child Sexual Abuse (CSA).

At its meeting on August 12, the Board of Commissioners made a statement declaring August 20, 2020 as “Not On My Watch Day,” dedicated to promoting sign-ups for a no-cost CSA prevention program. “In doing so, we declare that the tragedy of child sexual abuse will not be tolerated in any way on our watch, and that we commit the visibility and reach of our offices to assist in the eradication of this horrific crime,” the Commissioners wrote in their proclamation.

Commissioner Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia commented, "It is a true honor to be part of this campaign. While protecting even one child is good, I feel like this could be the most important thing Bucks County and I ever do.” Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo added, “The children we raise today are our greatest contribution to tomorrow. It is the responsibility of every adult to ensure they are safe from harm, fully protected and able to grow into the persons they are meant to be. This initiative offers us the tools and training to uphold this promise to our future.”

Grace Wheeler, County Coordinator for the Safe and Healthy Communities Initiative, spoke about NOVA’s goals to train 5% of Bucks County adults in evidence-based CSA recognition and prevention tactics. “Through this training, we can give CSA Stoppers the tools and the prevention skills needed to step up, say ‘Not On My Watch,’ and protect children from experiencing sexual abuse and the often lifelong consequences,” Wheeler said.

The “Not on My Watch” campaign demands action on the issue of Child Sexual Abuse by enlisting the decisive support of government officials, community leaders and public figures. Prior to the Commissioners’ announcement, NOVA enlisted the support of Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub, who was the first to join as a campaign advocate. “This training is the spark that we have needed to hopefully eradicate child abuse forever. I hope and pray that we are successful,” Weintraub said.

“Not on My Watch” is part of the Safe and Healthy Communities Initiative, a joint effort by Bucks County, NOVA, Penn State University, and other local organizations to reduce rates of child sexual abuse. The project is funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), and educates the public on Child Sexual Abuse prevention through a two-hour evidence-based program entitled “Darkness to Light: Stewards of Children®.” NOVA aims to train 5% of adults in Bucks County by 2021. This program is available to all adults in Bucks County and CE credits are available for many licensed or certified professions.

“We thank our Bucks County Commissioners, as well as the Bucks County District Attorney’s office, for pledging their support,” said Wheeler. “The more adults who train to become CSA Stoppers, the more equipped we will be to keep our children protected.”

Stewards of Children® is facilitated by NOVA, which leads scheduled public training events in addition to private group sessions. Due to stay-at-home orders in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, NOVA began offering the program via webinar earlier this year. NOVA has trained approximately 4,000 Bucks County residents to date.

Learn more about NOVA’s efforts to stop Child Sexual Abuse, including upcoming training events, at www.NOVABucks.org/StopCSA.
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About NOVA
Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) supports, counsels and empowers victims of sexual
assault and other serious crimes in Bucks County and works to prevent and eliminate violence
in society through advocacy, training, community education and prevention programs. Founded
in 1974, NOVA is a non-profit 501©(3), community-based organization operating out of three
offices in Fairless Hills, Jamison and Perkasie. Services are made possible through the financial
support of federal, state and local government grants and contracts, corporations, foundations
and private donations. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. For
more information, visit www.NOVABucks.org.

About the Board of Bucks County Commissioners
The Board of Bucks County Commissioners is composed of three commissioners elected to four-year terms, two from the majority party, one from the minority party. The 2020 Board consists of Chair Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW, Vice Chair Robert J. Harvie Jr., and Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo. The commissioners are responsible for the adoption and administration of the county operating budget - $452.6 million in 2020 - and oversight of almost 2,400 full-time employees, one of the largest workforces in the county. Learn more atwww.BucksCounty.org/Government/Commissioners.

About Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub
Matt Weintraub, a Bucks County native with more than a quarter-century of experience as a prosecutor, was appointed District Attorney in 2016. He has tried more than 100 criminal cases and has argued successfully before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. As District Attorney, Mr. Weintraub oversees an office staff of about 100 employees, 40 of them prosecutors. He has spearheaded and endorsed many ongoing countywide anti-drug initiatives in recent years, among other countywide anti-crime community measures. To learn more about Matt Weintraub and the Bucks County District Attorney’s office, visit www.BucksDA.org.

About Darkness to Light
Darkness to Light is a nonprofit organization with the mission to empower adults to prevent child sexual abuse. Through education and awareness, the organization seeks to create a safer world for children to grow and thrive. Darkness to Light’s flagship program, Stewards of Children®, is an award-winning training that teaches adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. More than 1.8 million adults including educators, youth serving professionals, organization volunteers, and community members have been certified in the program. Stewards of Children® is the only evidence-informed training of its kind, with the largest network of child protection advocates in the world as facilitators. For more information, visit www.D2L.org.