Did You Know That April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month?

What Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month?

TThe month of April is recognized as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Every child has the right to grow up in a nurturing, safe environment where they feel safe, protected and valued. Sadly, this is not the reality for many children. In fact, the Children’s Bureau Maltreatment Report in 2023, reports that millions of estimated referrals of child abuse and or neglect were made nationally.

Child Abuse Prevention Month was established by President Ronald Reagan and his administration in 1983 in an effort to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect. Since 1983, the Children’s Bureau as well as other child welfare organizations have continued to spearhead this initiative to promote April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Their mission being to advocate for stronger child protection policies and to educate communities about what child abuse is and what they can do to prevent abuse and neglect.

Abuse Comes in Many Forms, Including:

• Physical abuse: kicking, hitting, shaking, slapping, burning a child, or not allowing a child to use the bathroom, eat or drink.
• Sexual Abuse: Inappropriate touching, incest, rape, or exposing a child to pornographic material or using a child to create pornography.
• Emotional Abuse: Yelling, threatening, constant criticism, verbal insults or harsh demands.
• Neglect: Not providing adequate food, shelter, emotional support, education or medical care.
• Medical Abuse: Not treating a medical condition or intentionally making a child sick.

No matter what type of abuse is happening, child abuse occurs when a child experiences harm or neglect. Very often in child abuse cases, the child knows the abuser whether it be a parent, a family friend, a caregiver or other family member.

Take Action During Child Abuse Prevention Month

There are many wonderful organizations that are working within communities to prevent cases of abuse. The Prevent Child Abuse America Organization is just one. They want to highlight the fact of a critical truth.

“Child abuse and neglect are not a ‘bad parent’ problem-they’re most often a lack of resource problem. Keeping families out of crisis is the key to preventing child abuse and prevention is possible when we invest in families before a crisis happens. Families need resources, stability and a community that cares, not judgement. Every child and family deserve the support they need to survive.”

Another organization, American SPCC Organization believes “that the most powerful way to protect children is to strengthen the support around their parents and caregivers. When families have access to resources, emotional support, and a sense of community, children thrive. This April join us in building a culture of support-not shame.”

The most common form of abuse is neglect when a parent does not adequately provide for a child’s needs. It is a misconception by many that this is only happening in low-income families. Poverty does not equal neglect. It is a fact that all families experience stress. The goal of many organizations advocating for children is to help families become educated and better equipped to deal with stress factors in order to lessen the likelihood of child maltreatment.

Ways You Can Help To Prevent Child Abuse

So, what can you do to help you ask?

1. Become involved! Learn to recognize signs of abuse such as a child’s unexplained injuries, extreme acting out behavior, withdrawal, or a strong fear of a place or a person. Become involved within your community by volunteering with child advocacy organizations.
2. If you have reason to believe a child is a victim of abuse or neglect, report it to your local child protective service or call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1 800 4 A-Child or 1 800 422 4453. You may remain anonymous if you desire.
3. Donate to programs within your community or county that support children and families, victims or abuse, or to programs that participate in prevention campaigns.

Local Resources: CARE House in Dayton

Locally, in the Dayton area, please consider making a gift to the CARE House Child Advocacy Center which supports more than a thousand kids annually! The work that they do is AWESOME! Click here to connect to their website.

Every voice matters. This April, be the one who speaks up for a child. Volunteer, donate, or share this article to raise awareness about child abuse prevention.

Let’s all do our best to try to stamp out child abuse!

PUBLISHER’S NOTE:

Click here to read a post about this same topic we posted here on April 13, 2019.

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