Expert Gives Tips About Sexual Abuse, Man Charged With Sexual Assault On Child

The arrest of a man accused of molesting a young child has Greenville County Sheriff's Office investigators searching for more victims. As they do so, experts say that parents should keep a close eye on their children and look for signs of abuse, while taking a proactive approach in discussing such a tough topic as sexual abuse with them.

Shauna Galloway-Williams is the Director of the Julie Valentine Center in Greenville. She says that there are warning signs that every parent should watch for with their children when it comes to sexual abuse.

"If your child is normally a social, happy-go lucky child and they're quiet or withdrawn or have any major changes in behavior, those are indicators," Galloway-Williams said.

However, perhaps the biggest indicator is communication, said Galloway-Williams. She says that parents should keep the lines of communication open with their children, especially since most abusers will threaten a child if they say something about the abuse. But, the most important thing a parent can do when confronted with a situation of this type is to remain calm.

"If you're child senses you're anxious or nervous or angry or upset, which you probably are if you suspect something has happened, your child will pick up on that," she said. "It could shut them down or change what they're going to tell you.

Open ended questions give the child an opportunity to tell their side of the story, Williams says. She says questions such as, 'Tell me more about that' and 'Tell me more about what happened' are ways to approach such a delicate matter. Even though it may be uncomfortable, it is best to expose the problem in a gentle manner so the child can get the help they need, rather than cover up an invisible wound that could stay with them forever.

Galloway-Williams has even come up with a way to help combat sexual abuse.

Besides consulting and helping victims, the Julie Valentine Center will host its annual Julie Valentine luncheon on February 14 at noon at the TD Convention Center. The keynote speaker for the event will be Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped from her home in Utah, in June 2002, and returned nine months later.

For further information about the event or about the Julie Valentine Center, you can visit their website at www.julievalentinecenter.org

As for investigators with the Sheriff's Office, they are asking anyone who may have had contact with 51-year old Mike Rivenbark to come forward.

"This subject has had contact with some other young children whom he may have committed some lewd acts on or done some other criminal acts to,' said Deputy Michael Hildebrand of the Greenville County Sheriff's Office.

Rivenbark, who is being held without bond at the Greenville County Detention Center, has been charged with three counts of commiting a lewd act upon a minor under 16 years of age and three more counts of criminal solicitation of a minor. Deputies say that they received the complaint about Rivenbark after the father of a seven year old girl came forward after hearing that he allegedly molested the child at least three times between November of 2011 and January 2012.