Child sexual abuse is a truly “wicked problem,” rooted in a complex interplay of factors: individual, familial, social, political, cultural and environmental.

The movement in which we’re engaged is taking on the system that gives rise to child sexual abuse (CSA). Our change model is the public will campaign, which works like a machine made up of three interlacing gears – individual behavior, social norms, and systems/laws. When these move together, change can and will happen.

Since 2018, we’ve been engaged with TBCAC as a Core Team member in charge of communication, conceptualization and implementation of the Public Will Campaign digital platform. In this role, we’d facilitated a storytelling session with board members, staff and community leaders wherein we developed a Core Narrative, then solicited, edited and posted the collected stories.

Working in partnership with multiple individuals from Michigan State University, this effort is entirely based in research and dedicated to ending child sexual abuse in our lifetime.

Abuse is not a pretty picture; it's usually something we instinctively turn away from to look the other way. Mark's client-centered design approach is helping us to discover new answers to child protection and to depict prevention messaging in ways that are both pleasing and purposeful. He is diligent, conscientious, creative, and kind -- always learning new skills and applications that expand his offering. Mark truly understands the power of story, the process of collaboration, and the value of aesthetics. I enjoy having him on our team!

— Sue Bolde, TBCAC Executive Director

The Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center (TBCAC) brings help, hope and healing to children and families in the aftermath of an allegation of sexual abuse, physical abuse or witness to a violent crime. For some, the path to healing is clear. For others, the obstacles may seem insurmountable. Regardless of their trauma, their level of need, or their ability to pay, the TBCAC is here to help.

Our Public Will Campaign is based in a social norms model, working to change individual behaviors through the levers mentioned above: social norms and systems/laws. This approach to social change is considered an organized, strategic initiative designed to legitimize and garner public support for social problems as a mechanism of achieving policy action or change.

“Public Will” marries the feelings and beliefs people hold about an issue with their willingness to act on it. Working together, we use the momentum generated to observe the system as it changes itself.

Building on the foundation set forth by the TBCAC, we’ve shifted our focus from only primary prevention to the evolution of public will to take action and make child sexual abuse rare and non-recurring in our lifetime… a significant step to realizing the final goal of “a world without abuse.”

This strategic shift was designed to speak more clearly to the direct and powerful impact individuals can have behaviorally, culturally and within the structures and systems that drive society as a whole.

The initiative aims to change mindsets and build on core community values to take on the systemic conditions that give rise to CSA. The primary prevention campaign is grassroots, grounded in compassion and already at work in communities across Michigan.

The numbers are staggering, and the need is overwhelming:

• The estimated lifetime cost per-victim of child maltreatment (non-fatal) increased from $210,012 (2010 USD) to $830,928 (2015 USD).

• The estimated lifetime cost per-victim of child maltreatment (fatal) increased from $1.3 to $16.6 million.

• The estimated US population economic burden of child maltreatment based on 2015 substantiated incident cases is $428 billion, representing lifetime costs incurred annually.

• The estimated US population economic burden of child maltreatment based on 2015 investigated incident cases is $2 trillion, representing lifetime costs incurred annually.

To date, we’ve been directly involved in:

• Project framing and visualization, including conversations with MSU’s Office for Survey Research and Innovation Hub;

• Writing, design and delivery of campaign awareness presentations;

• Presentations and workshops with TBCAC board and community members, including grant proposal presentations;

• Participation in the 2018 Child Abuse and Neglect Conference as part of a multidisciplinary research team gathering information from professionals in the field, and making them aware of our campaign to forge collaborations.

• Developing an identity for the Public Will Campaign (above) that reflects the many voices in our society required to inform and support a social norms initiative.

• Building out the Public Will Campaign website, including design, curation, editing, writing and other tasks in coordination with multiple stakeholders to describe the history and future of the campaign.

• A complete redesign of the TBCAC Website, set to launch on April 15, 2020 with enhanced resources for people seeking help as well as those looking to join our campaign.

As the project continues, we will bring our skills as conveners and connectors to the project as we review the results of a statewide survey and develop messaging and tactics for various communities to get the word out and foster social change. We will also be recruiting and activating a network of consultants to carry out the strategic and tactical aspects of the campaign as it moves forward.

We are honored to be involved in this work. Truly, what could be more important?