Jessica David and Brian Atkinson photo

Eight years after opening its doors in 2016, the Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Clinic continues to demonstrate the value of quality and trauma-responsive legal representation for survivors. In recognition of its work, the clinic received a total of $147,000 from Georgia’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to strengthen the state’s response against child sexual abuse and trafficking and to hire a full-time licensed social worker to support clients seeking justice through the civil legal system. Survivor-clients also saw the benefits of quality legal representation, such as securing a $1.1 million verdict for a client who had been abused by their stepfather in addition to assisting dozens of survivors to find healing and empowerment through public validation of the abuse and harm they suffered.