Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office awarded for efforts in combating child sexual abuse

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office is the recipient of a special award for its efforts in combating child sexual abuse.

The Carousel Child Advocacy Center presented the Everyday Heroes Award to the Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday.

The Center said every employee with the Sheriff’s Office has been trained to prevent, recognize, and react to child sexual abuse.

Last year, more than 150 children were abused in Brunswick County.

Detective Sergeant Audrey McRae is with the Office’s Special Victims Unit.

She said it was important to partner with the center in this initiative to prevent child sexual abuse.

“Well it was quite an honor to be considered for it and really, when we were approached to be a Partner in Prevention, we just knew that we had to do whatever we could to make it happen because this is a huge issue that affects not just our county but everywhere,” McRae said. “And we knew that we wanted to do something to go above and beyond to help that issue.”

Since its founding in 2000, the Carousel Center has helped train more than 6,000 community members in Pender, New Hanover, and Brunswick Counties.