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Beauty, brains and heart

March 5, 2013 Lindsey Ellefson

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by SB News

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On Thursday, February 28, Brooklyn native and current Miss America, Mallory Hagan, kicked off a partnership with Kings County District Attorney Charles Hynes and the Crimes Against Children Bureau to raise awareness of child sexual abuse, as promised in her platform during the Miss America Pageant.

Hagan read a story to the group of children in attendance, which included victims of sexual abuse, and addressed the group about the seriousness of the issue of sexual violence, while even letting a few of the kids try on her crystal crown.

The event took place at the district attorney’s office, where Hagan also recorded a PSA to raise awareness.

It’s a crime that can impact anyone, she said. I know because members of my own family were victims.

Hagan and Hynes have both stated publicly that their mothers were victims of abuse and that this type of crime affects every member of the family.

When I first learned that the platform Miss Hagan had chosen for her reign was child sexual abuse awareness and prevention, my Crimes Against Children Bureau invited her to partner with our office to raise awareness about this important cause, said Hynes.

In 1997, Hynes was the first D.A. in the nation to create a Crimes Against Children Bureau.

Hagan advocates openness and communication as the most effective means of combating the issue.

If you know a child in immediate danger, dial 911, and if you suspect any children in your life of being victims of abuse, call the State Central Register at 1-800-342-3720.