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Child Abuse Prevention Requires Collective Community Involvement
By Shay Bilchik
(ARA) - Children must be protected not only because they are innocent, but also because they are powerless. Statistics vividly illustrate just how powerless and vulnerable American children are:
- In 1999, state and local child protective agencies received almost 3 million reports of abuse and neglect. An estimated 826,000 of these reports were confirmed victims.
- Almost three- fifths (58.4%) of these children were neglected, meaning basic physical, emotional, or educational needs were not met; another 21 percent were physically abused; more than 11 percent were sexually abused; and one-third were victims of other or additional types of abuse.
- Every day, three children die of abuse or neglect -- 1,100 children each year.
The further tragedy behind these numbers is that most often, when children experience violence, it is at the hands of someone the child knows and trusts - a parent, relative or neighbor.
Why is this happening? Why haven't Americans across all walks of life committed themselves to solving this problem - to standing up on behalf of these child victims?
Perhaps, in part, it is because too often, we think child abuse happens to someone else, nowhere near our neighborhood or workplace. The people who commit such acts that hurt children can't possibly be our friends, teachers, co-workers or neighbors.
The reality is that child abuse crosses all social and economic boundaries. Unfortunately, it took a harsh wake-up call, in the form of suburban and rural school shootings, for Americans to realize that juvenile violence was not an isolated inner-city issue. In the same way, we must realize that abuse and neglect is an everyday occurrence and requires the same level of awareness and commitment to prevention the nation demonstrated in reducing juvenile crime.
The reasons a parent or other adult would harm a child are many, and often complex. Most states cite parental alcohol or drug abuse as the most pervasive safety concern for children. Underlying factors such as, financial problems, unemployment, family stress, lack of housing, mental health problems and adult domestic abuse all may contribute to situations that spell danger for a child.
The Child Welfare League of America knows that these vast problems cannot be solved easily. It requires a promise to this country's children that we will improve current child protection efforts so no further harm is done to children already in abusive situations and that we will do everything possible to prevent abuse and neglect in the first place.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month - a good time for us to begin to fulfill this promise. Whether you're a parent, grandparent or simply interested in the welfare of our nation's children, there are steps you can take to get involved, advocate for children and help create changes that prevent our most powerless citizens from further victimization.
If you're dealing with everyday pressures of parenting:
- Take time out to calm down and reflect when you're angry with your child.
- Work off frustration through exercise, like walking or running, or even by cleaning house or doing yard work.
- If someone can watch your children, give yourself some time alone by going outside or in another room.
- Talk with a friend about your feelings. If no one is available, call your community's helpline.
- Above all, don't let anger continue to build. If your feelings don't go away, get help.
If you want to become involved by helping your community develop support programs for parents and interventions for children at risk, you can:
- Know what child abuse is and what the signs are. Physical and sexual abuse are clear examples of maltreatment, but also be aware of abuse through neglect, such as failing to provide food, clothing and medical care. Abuse can also be emotional, such as rejecting, berating or continuously isolating a child. This type of abuse may manifest itself as depression, fear of a certain adult, difficulty trusting others or making friends, sudden changes in eating or sleeping habits, secrecy or hostility.
- Report abuse. If you see a child being harmed or see evidence of abuse, or if a child tells you about abuse, report it to your state's child protection department or to local police. Remember, suspicion of abuse is all that's needed to file a report, and in most jurisdictions you can give information anonymously. When talking to a child about abuse, listen carefully, assure the child the he did the right thing by telling an adult and affirm that the child is not responsible for what happened.
- Volunteer your time. Get involved with other parents or with after-school activities, parent education classes, mentoring programs or respite programs that give overburdened parents a break.
- Support prevention programs. Greater investments are needed in programs that have been proven to prevent abuse such as family counseling and home visits from nurses to assist parents and newborns.
- Raise public awareness. Contact your elected officials and urge them to support any initiatives to prevent child abuse. Purchase a Children's Memorial Flag and fly it on April 26, National Children's Memorial Flag Day.
The day to day horror that abused and neglected children experience is reason alone to act. This national tragedy, however, is also preventing too many of America's children from growing up to become healthy, competent and productive adults. This long-term impact, often ignored, is also devastating to us as a country. Now is the time to demonstrate that we as a nation understand that our children deserve better. By getting involved, you can do your part to make sure that every child knows he or she is valuable, unique and cared for - and will no longer stand powerless.
To order the Children's Memorial Flag, call the Child Welfare League of America, (800) 407-6273, or e-mail cwla@pmds.com. More information about child abuse prevention also can be found at www.cwla.org.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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