Countywide : Experts to Present Child Abuse Forum

Local experts will lead a public forum on child abuse today that will be taped and aired on community television next week.

After a screening of the documentary “Child of Rage: A Story of Abuse” at 7:30 p.m. at the Oxnard Community Center, a panel of experts in law enforcement, social services and mental health will discuss what can be done to prevent abuse in Ventura County. Questions will be taken taken from the audience.

The public is invited to attend the forum, which will be taped and aired on Channel 19 on Oct. 12 from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

The panel will be moderated by Superior Court Judge Joe Hadden and will include Randy Feltman, mental health director for the county: Jim Isom, director of the county Public Social Services Agency; Supervisor Susan K. Lacey, 1st District; and Eunice Viola, chairwoman of the programs committee at Casa Pacifica/Youth Connection.

“There have been no particular incidences or statistics in Ventura County to prompt this event,” said Jennifer Quinlan, crime prevention coordinator at the Oxnard Police Department, who helped organize the forum.

“But this is a very important issue, and we thought it would be a good idea to do something like this if we could get hold of a really good movie.”