Today I was interviewed on KGAL in Albany, Oregon. April is National Child Abuse Awareness month and in honor of the occasion, I shared the awful truth about child maltreatment in the United States. The average number of abuse reports in our country is around three-million a year, involving six-million children. These figures are frightening statistics when combined with other numbers showing that about a quarter of those who are abused will also abuse.
To put this issue in perspective, consider this…in the time that it took you to read the above paragraph, eight different concerns were reported to emergency services about a child being physically harmed, sexually violated, neglected, endangered, or abandoned.
Child maltreatment is the greatest human rights tragedy in history, effecting the most vulnerable, precious and innocent members of society.
In spite of these discouraging facts, there’s great hope. It starts with each one of us deciding that we will contribute in some way to child abuse education, prevention, awareness, or advocacy. We can all make a difference. We can all do something.
Now until April 30th, we are doing something special to increase child abuse awareness and advocacy in Eastern Oregon. Purchase JoyRide: Life, Death and Forgiveness between now and April 30th from http://www.joyridebook.com and a donation in the amount of 3-dollars will be contributed toward the work of Court Appointed Special Advocates, CASA, in my hometown.
CASA provides well trained advocates to be the voice for abused and neglected children. They monitor the child’s well-being, report to the court on the child’s placement, and meet regularly with the child. They represent child’s best interests–expressing to the court his needs and, when applicable, his wishes. CASA volunteers also speak into the child’s life, reassuring him and bringing understanding to the complexities of the foster care system as it applies to his life.
Help us in our efforts to serve society’s most vulnerable children and get a good read. Now until April 30th.
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