A 14-Year-Old Girl Scout Wrote a Children's Book to Help Kids Living With Domestic Abuse

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

Talia Kasinski is 14 years old. For her Girl Scouts Silver Award, she chose to write and publish a children's book. She called it "Safe Den." The story centers on four young animals. Each one learns to recognize when things at home are not okay, and each one learns ways to get help. Using animals instead of people is a smart choice. It gives a young reader a little bit of distance from something that may feel too close to talk about directly.

The finished book is now part of the resource and shelter libraries at SafeHouse. SafeHouse, which also brands itself as S.A.F.E. House, is a nonprofit based in Henderson. It serves families from Henderson, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and beyond. That means a child who arrives at the shelter with a parent can now pick up a book written for them, about kids like them, by a kid only a few years older.

In her interview with News 3, Talia explained that she wants people to understand domestic violence does not always look the same. Many people picture only physical harm. She pointed out that yelling and other kinds of behavior can be part of it too. She also said the subject can be hard for young kids to process, and she wanted to find any way to make it a little less hard for them to understand and relate to.

Beth Flory, the CEO of S.A.F.E. House, told News 3 that domestic violence has real and lasting effects on children. She explained that kids who grow up around violence are more likely to repeat the cycle as adults, either as a victim or as the person causing harm. That is why she said it matters to reach kids while they are young. She also said the book's point of view is part of its power, because kids get to see a resource "written by another young person."

SafeHouse leaders said they hope to get the book into more places. The goal is local libraries, schools, and other shelters, so that children who are still living in a hard situation at home can find it, not only the kids who have already made it to a shelter. SafeHouse has also posted an online flipbook version of the book, linked from its homepage, so anyone can read it for free.

A young child in a striped shirt reading a picture book at a wooden table

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

Most of us will never see the inside of a domestic violence shelter. But almost all of us know a family that has been touched by this, even if nobody ever said it out loud. It could be a neighbor on your street in Green Valley. It could be a classmate of your kid's in Centennial Hills. It could be a coworker who suddenly moved and did not say why. This is not a far-away problem. It happens in every zip code in Clark County.

Kids are often the quiet part of these stories. Adults can call a hotline, talk to a friend, or find a lawyer. A six-year-old usually cannot. They may not have the words for what is going on. They may think it is normal, or that it is their fault. A picture book with friendly animals gives them a starting point. It can open a door for a parent, a teacher, or a counselor to say, "Does any of this feel like your house?" That one question can change a lot.

There is also a message here for the rest of us. Talia's point that abuse is not always physical is one a lot of adults need to hear. Screaming, threats, and control can do real damage too. When neighbors, coaches, and teachers understand that, they are more likely to notice when a child seems scared to go home, and more likely to gently point a family toward help.

Then there is the school angle. SafeHouse says it hopes to put "Safe Den" in schools and libraries. Clark County is home to one of the largest school districts in the country, and school is where many kids spend most of their waking hours. A book on a classroom shelf or in a school library can reach a child who would never walk into a shelter. If that effort moves forward, it could quietly touch thousands of Las Vegas families.

Finally, this story is a reminder of what our local nonprofits do every day with not a lot of attention. SafeHouse offers a 24-hour emergency shelter, counseling, personal and legal advocacy, community outreach, domestic violence classes, and affordable housing for victims and their pets. When people talk about what makes a community a good place to live, organizations like this are a big part of the answer, even if they rarely make headlines.

It is also worth saying what this story is not. It is not a story about blame, and it is not about any one family. It is about giving kids words and giving adults a nudge. Books have always done that. Many of us can remember a story from childhood that made us feel less alone. "Safe Den" is trying to be that story for a child who really needs it.

Background and History

To understand what Talia pulled off, it helps to know what the Girl Scouts Silver Award is. According to Girl Scouts of the USA, the Silver Award is one of the highest awards in Girl Scouting. It is earned by Cadettes, who are in sixth, seventh, or eighth grade. A Scout picks an issue she cares about, looks at how it affects her community, and then builds a project meant to create lasting change. She can work with a small team or go solo.

Plenty of Silver Award projects are great: a garden, a food drive, a buddy bench. Writing and publishing a book on domestic violence is a big swing for a middle schooler. It meant picking one of the heaviest topics out there and figuring out how to make it safe and understandable for small kids. It also meant finding a partner, SafeHouse, that could get the book into the hands of the children who need it most.

Colorful books lined up on a white wooden shelf, like a small resource library

SafeHouse has its own local story. According to the organization's Mission and History page, it began as a small grassroots effort. Co-founder Julie Proctor was a survivor herself. Together with Ken Proctor and eight other volunteers, she helped open the first domestic violence shelter in Henderson. Over the last two decades, the group grew into one of the most complete domestic violence organizations in Nevada.

SafeHouse says it has provided shelter, counseling, advocacy, housing help, and education to more than 100,000 people since it started. Its name is an acronym for its mission: Stop Abuse in the Family Environment. The group describes its approach as trauma-informed, which means the services are built around what each person has been through and what they need to feel safe again. A gentle children's book fits right into that way of working.

Children's books have a long history of helping kids work through big feelings. Parents and teachers already use picture books to talk about a new baby, a move to a new house, a first day of school, or the loss of a pet. The idea is simple. A child who sees a character go through something similar can start to name their own feelings. They also get to see that the character got through it, and that there were safe grown-ups along the way. "Safe Den" takes that same familiar tool and points it at a subject that most picture books avoid.

What Happens Next

The next step is getting "Safe Den" in front of more kids. SafeHouse leaders told News 3 they want the book in libraries, schools, and other resource shelters. No timeline or list of specific schools or library branches has been announced yet, so keep an eye out for updates from SafeHouse over the coming months. In the meantime, the free online flipbook means any parent, teacher, or counselor can read it today.

The timing also lines up with October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Across the country, groups use the month to share resources and remind people that help is available. Locally, SafeHouse has a community fundraiser on its calendar. The group's "Crawl for a Cause" is set for Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 5 p.m. on Water Street in downtown Henderson. Check the SafeHouse website for tickets and details.

There are a few things worth watching. First, whether local school libraries or public library branches add the book to their collections. Second, whether other shelters in the valley pick it up for the kids they serve. Third, whether this inspires more local students to take on Silver and Gold Award projects that tackle real community problems. Stories like this one have a way of spreading. One kid's project becomes an idea that another kid borrows and builds on.

As for Talia, the Silver Award is a milestone, not a finish line. Girl Scouts who keep going can work toward the Gold Award in high school. Whatever she does next, she has already shown something a lot of adults forget: you do not need to be grown up, famous, or rich to help. You just need to care enough to start.

Ryan's Take

I spend my days helping people find homes. Most of the time we talk about square footage, school zones, and whether the backyard gets afternoon shade. But the truth is, the word "home" means something much bigger than a building. It is supposed to be the one place where you feel safe. For some kids in our valley, it is not. That is hard to think about, and I think it is exactly why this story stuck with me. A 14-year-old looked at that problem and decided to do something about it. That is pretty incredible.

What I love here is how practical it is. Talia did not just raise awareness in a general way. She made a tool, a real book that a real kid can hold, and she put it where it would be used. SafeHouse is also one of the groups doing the hard, unglamorous work of getting families into safe housing, including their pets. When people ask me what makes a neighborhood great, I tell them it is the people. The folks who notice. The folks who show up. Talia and the team at SafeHouse are that kind of people, and Southern Nevada is better because of them.

A person reading a book while sitting on a red and white striped bedspread, a calm and cozy reading spot

What You Can Do

Read the book and share it. The online flipbook of "Safe Den" is free. If you are a teacher, counselor, coach, or parent, take a few minutes to read it. You may find a gentle way to start a conversation with a child who needs one. You can also mention it to your school's librarian or counselor.

Know where to send someone for help. Save these numbers in your phone, even if you never need them yourself. SafeHouse's 24-hour hotline is 702-564-3227, and its main office line is 702-451-4203. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is free, confidential, and open all day, every day at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. In an emergency, always call 911. If you are worried about someone, you do not have to fix everything. Pointing them to trained advocates is a real and meaningful step.

Support local nonprofits. SafeHouse lists ways to help on its website, including volunteering, donating, and attending events like Crawl for a Cause on October 10 in Henderson. And if you know a young person with a big idea like Talia's, cheer them on. Kids who want to help their community usually just need one adult to say, "Go for it."

Be a safe grown-up. The simplest thing any of us can do is be the kind of adult a kid feels safe talking to. Listen without rushing. Believe them. Stay calm. You do not need to have all the answers. Your job is to help them get to someone who does.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.