Carrie-Anne O'Driscoll

Adopting Cleo Carrie-Anne O'Driscoll

Tens of thousands of children are sexually assaulted across the globe every day. Facts show that the perpetrators of these crimes are generally in close relationships with the victim. For this reason, we must be vigilant in protecting those who cannot protect themselves through education and awareness of this issue. Aleah Ozbirn founded the group "Ending the Shame" for this purpose. She is a sexual assault survivor herself and found her three year old stepdaughter, Cleo, was suffering the same fate. Frustrated with the criminal system she took her case to the family courts and legally adopted her to keep her safe. In 2014, Ozbirn teamed up with Carrie-Anne O'Driscoll, a police officer and survivor in her own rite, to tell Cleo's story and introduce victim's and parents to Ending the Shame to answer questions and provide a safe place for experiences to be shared. "Adopting Cleo and Other Survivor Stories" continues that goal by providing valuable insight from those who have survived child sexual assault and healed enough to tell about it. These brave souls are able to tell parents and caregivers what signs to look for as well as how to handle an outcry and who to approach for help. A portion of proceeds with benefit Ending the Shame and the program for "Comfort Pals" to help heal more survivors. The remainder of proceeds will go to "Healing Cleo" to assist her on her journey of healing.