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National Child Abuse Prevention Month |
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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Children are one of our greatest assets. It is vital for a community to have healthy, successful children, and one of the ways to ensure this is by preventing child abuse. There’s an African proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” While parents are primarily responsible for their own children, families, schools, police, and other individuals and agencies in the community are also responsible for the safety, health, and success of children. Ensuring that our children are protected and successful is a collaboration of multiple people in the community. It is important that everyone be educated about preventing child abuse to protect the physical and emotional well being of our youth.
Thousands of children each year are reported victims of some form of abuse, and many more go unreported. The Administration for Children and Families most recent report, Child Maltreatment 2005 from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System reported approximately 899,000 children were found to be victims of child abuse and neglect; 62.8 percent suffered neglect, 16.6 percent were physically abused, 9.3 percent were sexually abused, 7.1 percent were emotionally or physiologically maltreated, 2 percent were medically neglected, and additionally 14.3 percent of victims experienced “other” types of maltreatment such as “abandonment,” “threats of harm,” and “congenital drug addiction.”
Abuse comes in many different forms physical, sexual, emotional, neglect and more. Being knowledgeable about the different types of abuse and being aware of the signs and symptoms is important in preventing and ending child abuse. Here are some of the signs and symptoms of child abuse provided by the Child Welfare Information Gateway:
• Shows sudden changes in behavior or school performance
• Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention
• Has learning problems (or difficulty concentrating) that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes.
• Is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen.
• Lacks adult supervision.
• Is overly compliant, passive, or withdrawn.
• Comes to school or other activities early, stays late, and does not want to go home.
These are just a few general symptoms. There are many more specific symptoms that go with the various types of abuse as well. These symptoms can be found at: www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/signs.cfm. It is also important that children know from an early age about abuse in all forms, what to do, and who to tell when it is happening to them.
The greatest prevention for child abuse is support. Both parents and children need to have support. Support can come from many different places, friends, family, schools, community agencies, and more. Parenting is not an easy job and at times parents reach their breaking point. Know that there are people in the same position as you, and know that there are people to talk with and agencies to reach out to for support.
Communities should work to empower parents with the resources and information they need to ensure that their children are the most successful they can be. The Lakes Area Youth Service Bureau offers support for parents and families through call and walk in consultations and are also prepared to provide referral sources for many situations faced by parents.
It takes a village to raise a child and it takes a community effort to prevent child abuse. Become familiar with abuse in all its forms as well as its signs and provide support for parents. Together we can continue to protect the safety, health, and success of our children. For more information about where and how to file a report, call the National Child Abuse Hotline
(1-800-4.A.CHILD).
Aimee Stafki, Intern
Lakes Area Youth Service Bureau
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