NORFOLK, Va — The Norfolk Sheriff's Office is the host of 'Camp Hope', a week-long sleep away camp experience for kids to work out their trauma and build a bond with each other and the sheriff's office.
Mom, Stephanie Curtis says being away from home has helped her kids heal from a heartbreaking experience.
"It was a domestic violence situation with their father and we ended up getting a divorce, and the girls were going through a very hard time so I ended up putting them through counseling and I was told us they had a camp for them," explained Curtis.
Curtis says it's transformed her kids from that trauma.
"It was miraculous for them as far as facing their fears, anxiety
or just meeting new people as well as being in an environment without mommy," said Curtis.
In 2021, the Norfolk Sheriff's Office teamed up with the city's family justice center to create the camp. At the time it was the first one in the country, lead by a sheriff's office.
The camp is geared towards kids who have personally experienced trauma, primary and or secondary abuse.
"They've had to grow up a little faster than normal and had to deal with some things that a lot of people have never even had to deal with before," explained Lt. Juan Serrano who runs the community affairs division at the sheriff's office.
He says trauma and abuse can come in different forms.
'Some of the trauma experiences are domestic violence, whether they are victims or witnesses," said Serrano. "Sometimes it's sexual assault, sometimes its assault so anything domestic inside the family home are some of the traumatic experiences they've been through,"
Sheriff Joe Baron says trauma from domestic violence isn't something kids should face alone.
"It's all about breaking the cycle of violence, breaking the cycle of domestic violence," said Sheriff Baron. "We know that children who grow up in atmospheres of domestic violence are 9 times more likely to become domestic violence offenders themselves because they think that is what love is or victims themselves,"
At the end of camp, kids will walk away with more than just lifelong memories. Once they return home, the Norfolk Sheriff's Office continues year-round mentoring with the same group.
Curtis says families who think the camp might benefit their child should go for it. She says it's given hers all sorts of peace, inner peace, peace of mind, and a little peace and quiet for a week.
