The month of
April has been designated as child abuse prevention month. During child abuse
prevention month, individuals and organizations across the country take part in
programs and activities in order to raise awareness about child abuse. In order
to help stop child abuse, it is essential to increase public knowledge about
the frequency of child abuse, as well as the causes and effects of abuse and
neglect.
Organizations
throughout the country take part in organizing events and fundraisers in order
to benefit child abuse prevention. During child abuse prevention month it is
very common for individuals to wear blue ribbons in memory of children who have
died from child abuse or neglect. This tradition began with a grandmother in
Virginia who wished to remember her grandson who was killed from exposure to
child abuse. She tied a blue ribbon to her car antenna in order to raise
awareness about abuse, as well as the necessity of developing effective methods
to stop child abuse. Now, many people will be seen sporting a blue ribbon in
April.
In the State of New York, the organization,
Prevent Child Abuse New York, creates and distributes pinwheels during child
abuse prevention month in order to increase awareness about physical abuse,
sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. The pinwheel is intended to
symbolize the cheerful and lighthearted childhood that every child deserves.
This
organization also hosts a variety of educational programs and events in order
to teach people about the risk factors that increase the likelihood of abuse
and effective ways to stop child abuse now. They have also established a
Promises for Prevention campaign, in which they do not ask people to donate
money, but instead to make promises to help stop child abuse now. An individual
may choose to promise to help a parent by watching a child, therefore relieving
some of the stress that a parent is facing.
Many
organizations will distribute various pamphlets and brochures during Child Abuse
Prevention month in order to help teach people about all of the aspects of
child abuse and neglect, as well as successful methods to help stop child abuse
now. Various community child abuse awareness activities are widespread during
the month of April.
One method
of raising awareness that is used in many states is a 5K run. These types
of charity runs will often take place in popular areas of large towns so that
people have no choice but to know that they are occurring. Many of these runs
require an individual who chooses to participate to pay a registration fee and
individuals may choose to help raise additional funds by having people sponsor
them. The proceeds that are raised are usually donated to child abuse
prevention programs.
A variety of
similar techniques have been developed in order to increase public awareness
about the severity of child abuse and neglect, as well as to help raise money
for child abuse prevention programs. Child abuse is a horrific occurrence which
requires national and international attention to stop it.
