Melanie Barton
Advocacy, Resiliency, Survivor Narratives, Medical Impact, Healthy Relationships, Trauma-Informed Practice
About Melanie
Melanie is a survivor of child sexual abuse and sexual assault who uses her lived experience to bring hope, clarity, and compassion to others. Grounded in faith and driven by a commitment to truth-telling, she shares her story to illuminate pathways toward healing and prevention.
For more than a decade, Melanie has worked professionally with victims of crime, supporting children, families, and adult survivors across multiple systems. Her experience includes roles as a domestic violence crisis advocate, court-based victim advocate in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and Family Advocate and Forensic Interviewer at a Child Advocacy Center. She is trained by CornerHouse in forensic interviewing and has supported cases involving child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, domestic violence exposure, and child sexual exploitation.
Melanie is a nationally recognized public speaker and survivor advocate who has presented at local and national conferences since 2019. She has collaborated with organizations including SHIELD Task Force, the National Children’s Alliance SHINE Campaign, Zero Abuse Project, and state Children’s Advocacy Center networks. She currently serves on SHIELD’s board and is a Subject Matter Expert contractor with Zero Abuse Project’s SurvivorSpace Initiative, creating survivor-led content and educational programming.
Melanie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Keene State College and completed a national service term with AmeriCorps Victim Assistance. Her work has been recognized with multiple awards for courage, dedication, and service to children and survivors.
