Riverview Center's Evening of Light Celebration featuring keynote speaker Matthew Sandusky!

 
Matthew Sandusky, the son of convicted sexual abuser and former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky,  will be the keynote speaker at Riverview Center’s 2019 Evening of Light Celebration! Matthew, founder and executive director of Peaceful Hearts Foundation, will speak at Riverview Center’s event on Wednesday, May 8 at 5:00 PM at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cedar Falls, IA.   
 
Matthew was a victim of childhood sexual abuse from the age of 8 to 17 at the hands of his adopted father, Jerry Sandusky, who was subsequently sentenced to 30-60 years in prison for 52 counts of child sexual molestation. Matthew has turned his traumatic personal experience into a lifelong commitment to prevent childhood sexual abuse and to help other survivors heal.
 
Matthew will use his personal story to discuss why males find it difficult to report, why victims feel such shame, how sexual trauma can affect adult relationships, and how support and therapy can help survivors recover. He will conclude by sharing information about his journey of healing,  encouraging hope and empowerment for other sexual abuse survivors.
 
Evening of Light Celebration 2019 will also include dinner, silent auction, services auction and raffle.  Sponsorship opportunities and tickets are available now through Eventbrite, or by contacting Gwen at gwen@riverviewcenter.org or at 319-939-9599.
 
Riverview Center provides free and confidential support and crisis services to survivors of sexual violence in fourteen counties in Iowa, and to survivors of sexual and domestic violence in two counties in Illinois.  These free services include a 24-hour crisis hotline, legal and medical advocacy, long and short-term counseling, transition assistance for domestic and sexual violence survivors, and violence prevention education programs within the communities we serve. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please contact our 24/7 confidential hotlines at 888-557-0310 if in Iowa, 815-777-8155 for assistance with sexual violence or 815-777-3680 for assistance with domestic violence in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, and 815-244-7772 for sexual violence or 815-244-1320 for domestic violence in Carroll County, Illinois.