Olympic Gymnast Aly Raisman Supports Child Abuse Prevention in Valley

April begins National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman is in the Coachella Valley to shine a spotlight on this critical issue.

Raisman, who survived abuse by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, is working with the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center in Rancho Mirage to help young victims heal through art therapy. She is co-chair of the Passion to Prevent campaign, a $10 million initiative by the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Foundation designed to combat child abuse through forensic services, education, and research.

“About 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys will experience sexual abuse before the age of 18,” Raisman said. “This is something I’m very passionate about, and I’m grateful to work with the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center to raise awareness.”

The campaign is funding the expansion of the center with a new pavilion that will include three forensic examination rooms. Raisman emphasized the importance of this growth, noting that abuse rates continue to rise both nationally and globally.

To see the full in-depth interview with Raisman, viewers can tune in to Talking with Thalia Tuesday morning at 6 a.m. on NBC Palm Springs or visit NBCPalmSprings.com.