CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 25 F or every abused child in the Fayetteville community, there was always a friend in Roberta Humphries. Every one of them. She understood their plight. She understood their pain. "I had a child history of abuse," says Humphries, 67, who is retiring June 30 aer 14 years as executive director of the Child Advocacy Center. "I had been sexually abused when I was 4 for over a year. It was a neighbor who was like a grandfather. And then my sister's boyfriend when I was 8 through 14." Humphries has been executive director of the Child Advocacy Center since Nov. 9, 2009. She has seen more than 8,000 cases of children in Cumberland County who have been victims of abuse. "Children severely burned," she recalls. "Children impregnated by the biological father. Just the gamut, from psychological abuse to total neglect and the sexual abuse from touching to rape. We had a mom who drugged her daughter to take pictures of sexual acts and send them to her boyfriend." She has seen a child with broken bones from physical abuse. Shaken baby syndrome, too. And head trauma from more physical abuse. "Either parents," Humphries says of the perpetrators, "or someone close like a family relative." Innocent victims, these children are and have been, and Roberta Humphries can see their faces and their trauma. "ere are some cases that haunt you," she says. "Unfortunately, there's evil in the world. ere are terrible things what some people do to each other. To physically beat a child to death or drown a child, it's just evil." e Child Advocacy Center is a place of refuge, healing and hope to give an abused child better tomorrows. "We try to focus on the positive," Humphries says. "We have a lot of kids who are really scared when they come in and when they go into the forensic interview room. We get an average of 600 to 900 cases a year. e one thing that has helped is when we started mental health on site. Seeing the kids succeed through therapy and grow and blossom is the best thing. And to see the impact you can make." Every abused child has a story. 910.868.5131 | 3200 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville, NC 28303 | www.fayacademy.org Fayetteville Academy Fayetteville Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation in administration of its educational policies, admissions, financial aid, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Now enrolling for the 2023-2024 School Year! Visit www.fayacademy.org for more information. • Pre-K through grade 12 STEAM SmartLabs ® • Chromebook 1:1 program • Grades 4-7 LEGO ® Robotics Team • 71 percent of students who take the AP exams score a 3 or higher. • More than $500,000 in need-based financial aid awarded annually to qualified applicants. • The 26 members of the Class of 2022 were offered more than $3 million in college scholarships and grants. RANKED #1 IN THE NICHE.COM 2022 BEST PRIVATE K-12 SCHOOLS IN THE FAYETTEVILLE AREA FayeeevilleNC.gov/solidwaste Recycling - 1 can every other week Garbage - up to 2 cans weekly Side-by-side 4 feet apart One foot from the curb Clear of obstruccon

• Cover