TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - The process starts in the lobby, where Jennifer Subin, chief program officer at the Children's Advocacy Center of Smith County, and Darlene Marshall, the center's chief education officer, say every child first feels safe."The lobby is like the most important part of this building because it is the initial welcome that children feel. The warmth, the support no matter what they've gone through, when they walk through those doors, they have a feeling that this is their place," Marshall said.

In Smith County, 98% of abused children know their abuser."Their first step here can be very difficult because generally somebody that they know and love is the one that has hurt them. And so our goal is to help mitigate some of that trauma during their time here for that first visit," Subin said.

Children's connect roomChildren are first brought to a room with activities, dollhouses and games upon arrival at the center, Subin said.