Starting in 1983, April has been named “Child Abuse Awareness Month” by a presidential proclamation. The observance of this month raises awareness about child abuse and prevention by educating communities and individuals about how they can keep children safe from abuse and neglect. Child abuse is a public health issue and it is our irresponsibility to promote the social and emotional well-being and safety of our children.
So what is the scope of this problem? Approximately 3.6 million children are abused in this country per year. Nationally, one in four girls, and one in six boys, will be abused before their 18th birthday; and 90% of those abused know their offender. The Center for Disease Control estimates that child abuse costs our county $9.3 billion dollars annually, and this reflects only the child abuse cases that are reported.
Since the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and the North Quabbin opened in 2016, we have served over 400 children. Interestingly, in Franklin County and the North Quabbin area, we work with a higher proportion of cisgender (identify with the gender they were assigned at birth) males, or about 40%, and 60% cisgender female; we have served very few LGBTQ youth, though we know that this population is at increased risk for victimization. We see a higher number of males than the national average. 84% of our kids know their offender. The average age we serve is between 7 and 12.
Experiencing childhood sexual or physical abuse, neglect, or exploitation is an adverse childhood experience (ACE) that can affect development, and how children think, act, and feel over the course of their lifetime. ACE’s can result in either short- or long-term physical, mental, and emotional health consequences, including; chronic diseases, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, etc… When looking at sexual abuse specifically, females who experience childhood sexual abuse are at 2-13 times increased risk of sexual victimization in adulthood. Both females and males who experience childhood sexual abuse are at twice the risk of non-sexual intimate partner and domestic violence. The odds of attempting suicide are six times higher for males and nine times higher for females with a history of sexual abuse versus those without.
While these statistics are sobering and grim, there are things we can do to prevent child abuse, and support those who have experienced it. As adults, we are tasked with ensuring that children have safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments.
The weight of this issue feels impossible, you may be thinking. But there are ways to prevent the abuse of children through primary prevention, education and awareness. We can start by changing the way we think about child abuse and reframe how we approach this issue to be a positive one and to reflect the values and norms of our community. For example, positive norms may include valuing children as special members of our community, using age-appropriate discipline, providing engaging activities, supporting local investment in quality youth age services such as school programs, child care services, mental health services, and family engagement and empowerment services.
Increasing awareness and education fosters hope for the future and thereby creates energy and motivation for engagement for the entire community. It is through this combination of concern and hope that communities can do the work of growing safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. In short, the solutions to child maltreatment are here in our community, in each of you.
Flag-raising events scheduled in April have been canceled. The “Protecting Our Children: A Child Safety and Crime Prevention Program” will not take place Oct. 16.
In the place of our flag-raising events we will be putting 124 beautiful blue pinwheels on the lawn of the Children’s Advocacy Center at 56 Wisdom Way. The pinwheel is a national symbol for a happy, healthy, and hopeful childhood. These represent the 124 children from our community that we served in 2019. We want to bring awareness to this ongoing issue of child abuse and well-being, especially now when families are feeling overwhelmed and stressed. The Children’s Advocacy Center staff is available for support and resources and we encourage people to contact us. Www.cacfranklinnq.org and we are on FaceBook, updating regular.
Samantha Staelens, LCSW, MSW, is the case manager at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin, Inc.