LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The U.S. Secret Service held a special summit Tuesday morning aimed at keeping children safe and preventing child exploitation.
More than 1,500 students were in attendance at the Kentucky Expo Center for what's known as "Operation Angel Summit," an event to reach out to teenage students about protecting themselves from potential predators, providing resources, and empowering survivors of abuse.
"No one thinks it's going to happen to their son or daughter," explained Rick Nord with the U.S. Secret Service. "So getting that education out there is paramount to any type of responses."
The summit included safety tips about online conversations and sending pictures to stories of loss and survival.
"It is extremely serious," said Nord. "No one ... no kitchens or living rooms that I've sat in weekly on a basis, did those children think that those pictures would get out and be sent through these predators and traded and the equivalent of your entire student body seeing that photo of them in a compromising position."
Students heard from a number of speakers, including Rachael Denhollander, who became internationally known as the first woman to pursue criminal charges and speak publicly against USA Gymnastics' team doctor Larry Nassar.
"If you are a survivor, you need to know these things too," Denhollander told the students, adding that, "The guilt and the shame are not yours. They are your abuser's and your abuser's alone."
Another speaker, Amy Graves, shared the story of her daughter, 7-year-old Gabbi Doolin, who was sexually assaulted and killed in a case that rocked the Scottsville, Kentucky, community in 2015.
"I never want her to be forgotten by anyone. I'll never forget her. Of course, her family will never forget her. But her life and what happened to her, I think, is very important in helping other children," said Graves.
Graves said she's channeling her sadness and anger through events like Tuesday's summit, where she talked to teenage students who are the same age that Gabbi would be now.Â
During the summit, event leaders showed a rendering of what it's believed Gabbi would have looked like today at 15 years old.
"I've always wondered what she would look like at this age. So to see that was extremely emotional for me," said Graves.
Graves said she believes it's a purpose of hers, to now try and be part of something that could save another child's life.
The summit also shared local resources — including YMCA Safe Place information and tips on finding a trusted adult — in an effort to make a difference for all those who listened.
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