Are We Doing Enough in Our Communities to Prevent Child Abuse?

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    how to raise awareness about child abuseApril is National Childhood Abuse Prevention Month

    Child abuse and neglect are very real problems in the United States that place a large financial and emotional burden on our communities and country.

    3 Reasons Why Each of Us Should Care

    1. A Report released by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services in 2011 stated that an estimated 676,596 children were victims of child abuse in the U.S. 1545 children died as a result of abuse or neglect. Many of these situations were preventable with supportive community engagement and programs.

    2. Child abuse does not only impact the child, but the community as a whole. Response and treatment require many resources. Long term abuse or neglect has been shown to affect various systems, to include: physical and mental health, law enforcement, judicial and public social services, and nonprofit agencies as they respond to the incident and support the victims. The economic impact can be tremendous. One analysis showed the costs to cost as much as $258 million each day, or $94 billion each year. In South Carolina, the SC Children’s Trust estimates that 1 BILLION dollars is spent each year in our state for direct and indirect costs of child abuse.

    abuse stats

    3. Collaboration is needed in our communities to help prevent child abuse and neglect. We can all play a role in bringing awareness to this problem to ensure actions are taken in the community. Check out this 30 Ways to Promote Child Well Being in April.

    A Few Simple Things You Can Do for Child Abuse Prevention Month

    Raise Public Awareness

    You can share information about Child Abuse Prevention Month. Participate in the Pinwheels program and be sure to share the hashtag #ISpyPinwheels when you see them and tag Children’s Trust SC. Instagram @ChildrensTrustSC, and Facebook – ChildrensTrustSC. Also, tweet and share on Twitter: @ChildrensTrustS.

    You can also purchase, or encourage your school or church to purchase, a Children’s Memorial Flag to be flown on the fourth Friday in April, Children’s Memorial Day. Issue news releases, photographs, public service announcements, and compelling stories to the media, advocacy groups, parent-teacher organizations, police stations, hospitals, community centers, websites and special interest groups.

    Participate in Ceremonies to Memorialize Children

    Host or attend an event (candlelight vigil) at your state capital and remember those children lost to abuse by reading their names. Order the Children’s Memorial flag for the event.

    Write, Visit, Fax, Phone, or E-mail Your Elected Officials

    Keep informed of policy issues at the state and federal level concerning child welfare and subscribe to alerts. Contact your governor, state legislators, county commissioners, and mayor and request that they proclaim the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and fly the Children’s Memorial Flag. Reach out to U.S. Senators and Congressman and ensure they are aware of the events.

    While child abuse may seem to be a “family” matter, the truth is, there is much that can be done to reduce and prevent abuse. Simple actions go a long way.

    pinwheels
    A blue and silver pinwheel is the national symbol for child abuse and neglect prevention.

    Additional Resources

    • South Carolina has participated in the Children’s Memorial Flag initiative in recent years by either flying or displaying the flag at a state government facility or issuing a proclamation acknowledging Children’s Memorial Flag Day on the fourth Friday in April.
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    Alexa Bigwarfe
    Alexa Bigwarfe is a mother to 3 wildlings who keep her on her toes. She is an advocate, activist, speaker, author & author coach, publisher, and podcaster. Her writing career began after her infant daughter passed away at 2 days old and she turned to writing for healing. Since then, she has used her writing platform for advocacy and activism to support mothers, children, and marginalized voices. She began a nonprofit, Sunshine After the Storm, to provide support, care, healing retreats, and grief recovery to mothers in their most difficult time. She is the creator and co-host of the Lose the Cape podcast, which features moms working to make a difference in their children's lives and has co-authored and published four volumes under the Lose the Cape brand. Her primary business is Write|Publish|Sell, a company dedicated to shepherding authors through the massive process of writing and publishing their books like a pro. She owns her own publishing house, Kat Biggie Press, and a children's book publishing company, Purple Butterfly Press - both dedicated to bringing stories of hope, inspiration, encouragement, and girl-power to the world. Learn more at alexabigwarfe.com.

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