Where the Idea Started

iRespect&Protect began during an annual meeting consisting of law enforcement, child welfare services, and Liberty House located in Salem, Oregon. In January, 2018 these agencies came together and expressed a unanimous goal: Reduce incidents of trauma to children due to risky online choices.

Who Came Together to Realize the Vision

Liberty House is the child abuse assessment center serving Marion and Polk counties in Oregon. Liberty House provides excellence in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of child abuse, neglect, trauma and grief in order to promote health and hope in children, youth, families and communities.

Beginning in June 2018 Liberty House facilitated focus groups throughout Marion and Polk counites to collaborate and create a community-wide strategic plan to address the concerns of trauma that youth were experiencing through digital abuse.

The first Key Leader Meeting was convened on December 10, 2018, consisting of business and community leaders, leadership in youth serving organizations, school district representatives, and other involved and interested community leaders. The discussion was well-received and provided the facilitators from Liberty House with the initial strategic plan for a community-based movement. The name iRespect&Protect was developed over the course of the following months by inviting youth voices into the discussion and direction of the campaign.

Throughout 2019, focus groups and meetings were held throughout the community with key leaders, students, youth leadership, city government representatives, health organization representatives, school district leadership, and law enforcement representatives. Opportunities to share ideas and provide feedback led to our 10 foundational principles, which are the core of our tool kits and assessment tools.

iRespect&Protect launched in February 2021.