April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It is a crime you might not normally associate with children, but the statistics close to home are pretty shocking.

It's a big problem in Alaska. Not only are we number one in the nation for child sexual abuse, we actually have twice the national average. In this edition of Break the Cycle, CBS 11 News visited a place that helps reduce the trauma these children are facing.

Alaska Cares is a place where children and their families can go to get help after an incident of sexual abuse.

"You have all these agencies. So the legal device is here, your child protection piece is here, your medical...mental health piece is here. We are putting it all together to do what's in the best interests

of the child," said Cory Bryan of Alaska Cares.

The idea is to help children feel comfortable, so they can talk about an uncomfortable experience. The decor is warm and welcoming--definitely kid friendly. One of the exam tables looks like a polar bear. There is also a non-invasive microscope to look for signs of abuse. But providers say it's unusual to find any, since most kids don't talk about abuse until long after it's over.

"Lots of times we have cases where the allegations happened a year ago. So mom had a new boyfriend, sexually abused the child. Nobody knew. But mom is no longer with that person and now the child feels comfortable to talk," said Bryan.

Talking is a big part of the experience at Alaska Cares. And the point is to get the interview on tape, in case it needs to be used as evidence in court.

"If we want to span the room, we can do that. Because sometimes kids will walk around and hide," said Bryan.

It's done in a special room with a hidden camera, while a team of providers listens in. Sergeant Cindi Stanton conducts many of those interviews. She says she tries to put the children at ease by putting them in charge.

"They get the choice of which chair they want. They get to choose markers or Play-Doh. They are always given the option. They are always told, 'You are in charge here.' And I think that's important when you are going to ask them details about something that they had no power over," said Sergeant Stanton of the Anchorage Police Department Crimes Against Children Unit.

Stanton says Alaska Cares is breaking the cycle of child sexual abuse by getting the evidence needed that results in more convictions. But, she says, getting it in a way that doesn't make children feel further traumatized by the system designed to protect them.

Last year Alaska Cares saw over 900 children. The vast majority of those were for cases of sexual abuse. The agency has some great tips on their Web site on how to prevent sexual abuse and how to talk to your children about it.

You can find that information by clicking below:

To contact Lauren, call 907-273-3186.