10-04-2025
Child sexual abuse victims in Sumner County get new resource
GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN) — Sumner County sees hundreds of child sexual abuse cases each year. Ashley's Place is one resource that helps children go to court and work through trauma.
'When you look at the number of severe abuse cases that we see for a county, we average about 550-600 cases of severe,' Amy Burke-Salyers, executive director of Ashley's Place, said
Ashley's Place provides counseling and advocacy. Perhaps most importantly, the organization works to help get justice for victims in court. Recently, the center got a new resource to help child victims as well — he has four paws, a tail and goes by Grady.
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'We just got back with him [in] the first part of February, so he's fully trained,' Burke-Salyers said. 'His role is to go into the forensic interviews with children. He has a spot on the couch. They can pet him [and] interact with him while they're doing that interview process. Then, he also goes on the witness stand with kids when they have to testify in court.'
It can make all the difference as children are asked to recall some of the hardest details.
'Even though we're providing a child-friendly environment and we're sensitive to the needs of children and families, they're nervous,' Burke-Salyers said. 'We've seen kids come in and the idea of getting to meet Grady or know that there's a dog can just take … their mind off what they're here for initially and get a sense of comfort.'
Grady comes from 'Canine Companions for Independence' in Orlando and is two years old. While he's been trained to work with children, he's been a hit with others, too.
'He's been a great addition for our kiddos, but I think he's also been a great addition for the team members that work tirelessly on these investigations — being our law enforcement, our DCS, our court staff — he provides a great source of comfort for them as well,' Burke-Salyers said.
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Although Grady just joined Ashley's Place, he's preceded by Ohpira, who helped start their canine program roughly eight years ago.
'He's very smart,' Burke-Salyers said. 'I think he understands and definitely kind of knows the impact that he makes.'
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