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- Video title: Prevent Child Abuse Utah
- Video description: Presentations by Prevent Child Abuse Utah create public awareness and educate young people about child abuse. Because of one such presentation in an elementary school, two sisters learned the definition of sexual abuse and realized it had been happening to them. Their father, Stephen Coleman, was convicted of the abuse and sentenced in 2011 to at least 15 years in prison. The girls now live in a safer environment and speak out in an effort to prevent abuse.
Sources
- Local family tries to heal, after father sexually abused daughters
- Stephen John COLEMAN
- Stephen John Coleman
Source details
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Local family tries to heal, after father sexually abused daughters
Publisher: ABC4
Date: 6 Apr 2016
Archive.org
Source type: News articleFARMINGTON, Utah (ABC 4 Utah) – A mother of five is sharing a story of healing, after learning her husband was sexually abusing their daughters.
As difficult as it is for [Jane Doe - real name redacted by FLOODLIT] and her children to relive their traumatic experiences, they are doing that this month to help spread awareness for National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
[Doe]’s husband had been sexually abusing their daughters for years, but she knew nothing about it until March 2011.
“I got a knock on my door from the police, who said an accusation had been made by [my] younger daughter,” [Doe] recalled.
That, she says, was the first time she ever had any indication of the situation.
“We had been married 15 years,” [Doe] said.
At the time, [Doe] says she loved their lives. The parents lived in a neighborhood in Bountiful, where they were active participants of their church. Her then husband Stephen Coleman worked in the Office of the Governor.
He had also been abusing his daughters for as long as they can remember.
“It was something that was very normal to them. They didn’t like it, but as my daughter put it, she didn’t like putting the dishwasher [dishes] away either,” [Doe] explained.
It was not until the 3rd and 5th grade girls heard a special presentation at school one day that they realized the gravity of what was happening.
As part of its ongoing education effort, Prevent Child Abuse Utah had gone in to the girls’ classrooms to teach students about the different forms of abuse — neglect, physical, emotional, and sexual. That is when [Doe]’s oldest daughter started asking questions.
“She actually raised her hand and asked if everyone who did this went to jail,” Parry said.
Even her 3rd grader knew they needed help. She told her friends during recess, whose parents filed a referral with Child Protective Services, and days later, officers came knocking at their door.
Coleman is now serving two sentences of 15 years to life in prison for sex abuse, rape, and sodomy of a child.
For the [Doe] and the girls, healing is a process.
“Sometimes they are in therapy, and then sometimes they’re okay,” she said.
The family now lives with the dedicated mom’s new husband, Jeff. With great resources like PCAU and a whole community of support, they are mending their lives one step at a time.
“It affects you in different areas of your life, and we just need to be really sensitive to that,” [Doe] explained.
Speaking of being sensitive, members of the public have the chance to help raise awareness as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month by buying and planting pinwheels in yards and businesses, where people can see them. You can find more information on how to do that here.
Data shows nationally, one in four girls and one in six boys will be abused by the time they are 18. Experts say in Utah, the most common type of child abuse is sexual abuse.
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view all information sources Stephen John COLEMAN
Publisher: Utah Department of Corrections
Date: 2 Jan 2024
Archive.org
Source type: Registered sex offender recordName: Stephen John COLEMAN Registration #: 1405945
Aliases: Stephen COLEMAN
Stephen J COLEMAN
Status: IncarceratedPhysical Description
• Age: 53 (DOB: 11/02/1970) • Height: 6'01''
• Sex: M • Weight: 230lbs
• Race: White • Eyes: Hazel
• Hair: Brown
• Scars/Tattoos: Scar on Arm ()Address
[redacted by FLOODLIT] Salt Lake City, UT [redacted by FLOODLIT]
View Map
Other Known Addresses
Offenses
• Description: 76-5-404.1 - AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ABUSE OF A CHILD/1ST DEGREE FELONY
• Date Convicted: 07/26/2011
• Conviction State: Utah
• Release Date:
• Details:
• Counts: 1
• Description: 76-5-403.1 - SODOMY ON A CHILD-ATTEMPTED/1ST DEGREE FELONY (attempted)
• Date Convicted: 07/26/2011
• Conviction State: Utah
• Release Date:
• Details:
• Counts: 1 -
view all information sources Stephen John Coleman
Publisher: Offender Radar
Date: 2 Jan 2024
Archive.org
Source type: Registered sex offender recordDOB : 11/02/1970
Age : 51
Sex : Male
Height : 6'01''
Weight : 230
Race : White
Hair : Brown
Eyes : Hazel
Scars/Tattoos:
Scar on Arm ()OFFENSES
Description : 76-5-404.1 - AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ABUSE OF A CHILD/1ST DEGREE FELONY
Date Convicted : 07/26/2011
Conviction State : Utah
Statute : 76-5-404.1
Offense Count : 1
Description : 76-5-403.1 - SODOMY ON A CHILD-ATTEMPTED/1ST DEGREE FELONY (attempted)
Date Convicted : 07/26/2011
Conviction State : Utah
Statute : 76-5-403.1
Offense Count : 1REGISTRATION DETAILS
Collected From : Utah State Registry
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