(NE Alliance) Collaborative Learning Series: The Children Are NOT Okay: Impact and Prevention of Domestic Violence (10/14/2026 Virtual)

This training will be presented by Rita Farrell from Zero Abuse on October 14th from 1-2:30pm CT.

Training Objectives

Domestic violence (DV) is pervasive in our communities – with 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experiencing abuse at the hands of a partner during their lifetime. Children are not immune or shielded from the violence. Not only do millions of children witness the abuse of their caregiver, but many experience child abuse themselves. This session will discuss the prevalence of DV, the intersection of DV and child maltreatment, and how these behaviors permeate the day-to-day climate of the home, leading to the cycle of abuse being handed down from generation to generation. This session will discuss identification of harm, strategies for prevention, skill building, and resiliency, as well as strategies to support caregivers and their children.

Rita Farrell Bio

Rita Farrell has over 24 years of experience working with child abuse investigations as a forensic interviewer and founding executive director of a child advocacy center. In her role as a Senior Director with Zero Abuse Project, Rita admits that her role as a forensic  interviewer of child abuse victims is her “true passion.”

In July 2000, Rita undertook the challenge of opening Chaucie’s Place, a child advocacy center in Hamilton County, IN. The combination of her roles as executive director and forensic interviewer naturally led Rita to become involved with state and national organizations in the field of child abuse.

Rita serves as a Senior Director for Zero Abuse Project,  managing the national and international ChildFirst® Forensic Interview Training program, which she is a co-author of the model and has conducted thousands of child interviews. In addition, she manages the development of advanced training courses and programs for prosecutors, law enforcement, CPS, forensic interviewers and investigators.

Rita is a certified law enforcement instructor and still conducts forensic interviews in the field. She has testified in numerous court cases and has authored many peer-reviewed articles and publications specific to child abuse investigations and forensic interviewing of child abuse victims.  As a nationally recognized speaker, Rita continues to champion the cause of child advocacy and serves as a board member for the Indiana Coalition of Child Advocacy Centers. She is a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) and serves on numerous councils, task forces, and boards in the areas of child abuse and domestic violence. Rita was presented with the U.S. Attorney General’s award for “Outstanding Service to Victims of Crime” by the U.S. Attorney General of Indiana and is also the recipient of the “Champion for  Children” award.