Every 10 seconds a case of child abuse is reported, that's over 3 million a year. You and I also know that silence shrouds even more cases. Every day more that 4 children die as a result of child abuse. Suffice to say I believe every month should be Child Abuse Prevention Month, but as April comes to a close, the month designated as such, I wanted to make sure I asked Citizen Hunters to do all they can to protect our children.
Help Build Support for House and Senate Home Visiting Legislation. Quality early childhood home visitation programs lead to proven positive results for kids such as improved parenting practices and reductions in child maltreatment.
Please contact your Members of Congress and urge them to cosponsor the Education Begins at Home Act, so that more children and families can benefit from home visitors.
Learn how to prevent and detect child abuse and get the facts.
If you suspect abuse or neglect may be occurring, report it immediately! To find out how, call 411 or contact your department of social services listed under government agencies in the phone book. If you think a child is in immediate danger, call the police. (800) 4-A-CHILD is a 24 hour National Child Abuse Hotline which offers crisis intervention and helpful information.
Children that make it through abuse are survivors; and if they are given the right help, become powerful advocates to help end abuse.
We are called to help the least among us, and those of us with the means to do what we can should not waste a minute.
My mother was fortunate to work with those in abusive relationships and the one thing that those men and women, mostly young and below the poverty line, had in common was a past history of being abused themselves.
It is a silent epidemic, as those who live with abuse rarely speak out to help themselves. It is our duty as Citizen Hunters to speak for them, and intervene when necessary.
By phone, email, or letters, we can help. We do not have to be in a war-zone to save a life.
Posted by: Joe at April 25, 2006 07:31 PMThere is a line that must be drawn between parents that assert their inherent right to raise children as they see fit and the need to protect vulnerable children form abuse and neglect. Many families that I have worked with seemed to feel that intrusion was somehow unfair, unwarranted, that their rights were being restricted. To them I point out that criminals have their rights restricted as well, and that this is not very different. Those that hurt children do not deserve to assert their rights as a defense of intervention.
Sadly many children, when removed, are not placed in homes where they receive the support and help they need. We need to do better by these children and tweak the "keep the home intact" no matter what mantra.