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Cougar Cry
Reflections On Child Abuse Prevention Month
By: Crystal Miller
The main purpose of Child Abuse Prevention Month is to increase community awareness in the hope that each of us taies a moment
to consider those unfortunate children who are either neglected or abused in this country each day. April has been chosen as the
month to remember these children but in reflection of the cause, we should remember the children throughout the year. Through
greater community awareness about child abuse and its ever lasting effects on a child, the child abuse prevention team hopes that
each of you will become more aware of what goes on in the lives of children in your communities and in your own families.
What is child abuse?
Child abuse is often defined as the non-accidental injury or pattern of injuries of a child that cannot be explained by parents or other
caregivers. Child abuse includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and dependency.
Physical abuse is serious physical injury inflicted by or allowed by a parent or caretaker or substantial risk of serious physical injur>'
to the child by other than accidental.
Sexual abuse is any sexual behavior imposed on a juvenile. Sexual abuse includes a range of activities: fondling the genital area,
masturbation, oral sex and vaginal or anal penetration by a finger, penis, or any object, exhibitionism, child pornography, and sugges
tive behaviors or comments.
Emotional abuse is expressing attitudes or behaviors toward a child that create serious emotional or psychological damage as evi
denced by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, aggressive behavior toward self or others, and delinquent acts.
Neglect is any serious disregard for a juvenile’s supervision, care, or discipline. The caretaker may withhold or fail to provide the
child with basic necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or attention to hygiene.
Dependency is the lack of a parent, guardian, or custodian responsible for a child’s care and supervision due to physical or mental
incapacity and the absence of an appropriate alternative child care arrangement.
Child Abuse Prevention Month is over; however, each one of you can take this information with you and use it as children become a
part of your lives. An important fact to remember is that if you know a child who is in a dangerous situation YOU can prevent it by
reporting it anonymously to local authorities. Research indicates that 80% of child abuse can be prevented through programs that pro
vide support, information, and early intervention. Only a small percentage of parents are unreachable in terms of treatment and that is
important to understand. The Child Abuse Prevention Team and the Department of Social Services are not in the business of taking
children from their homes. They are in the business of family preservation, teaching and training proper parenting, and assuring the
best interest of the child. Children are only removed from their homes in extreme cases of abuse where the child’s life is in immediate
danger.
Q)ewt 3‘axenti,
AlotAex’d S>a^ and !falAex*a S)a^ ate. upon lu. JfUae aw dpecial da^ fox- panenh and cAitdxen. 6n thU da^ we all dtap
and tahe a monienl la dfloui oux own pamttd (fiat we appiedale them. 5ox tome tAia nuu^ tz hwid to do, Met atex^fcne qxew- up in a loving
and nwUwdn^ mvhenmenl and often find it difficult ta ihem tove and leapect (a a portent who- failed to. piovide that fox tfiem.
J addxedi tAia to paxenti Secaiuc 3 want to- call attention to each of ffoux aitiuUiom. Capeciall^ t/Uue of t^ou wAo ate leatntful
to ffoux paxentd ox tAoae of who- find it haxd to. fox^ive ^4Utx paxenti fox. mldtahea made in ffoux liuea. Jt’d txue, not all paxenta ate
pexfect and tfed, cAildxen da hold a qxudge.
JVow J"d tide fox all of i^ou wAo Have cAitdxen of i/oux own to da a texiotu »etf eitaluation and hopefully ffou wilt tee tAat tfou
have tAe powex ta give t^oux child tAe tAin^ tAat ifoa did not get you can love, nuxtuxe, and caxe fox. yaitx cAitdxen to tAat on AlotAex’i
5)oy and !fatAe%’» Hicuf., tAexe will te no question wAetAex ox not ^ou deaexve yaux cAitd’d xeapect and admiuUion.
iRaiiin^ a cAild id pexAapt tAe nuut difficult toih wex faced in life. J know fxom pexaonal eapexience. 3 am cuxxentty xaiding.
4, agei 10 moi., 2 1f2 yeaxa, and twa 5 yeax otdd. Qtan^ witA 6eing tAe nuut difficult toik 3 have evex faced, it ia al»o tAe moat xewaxd-
ing. Qt 26 yeaxa of age 3 could tAinA of a million places 3 would UAe to go and a million moxe tAitt^ 3 would UAe ta da Sul you know
wAat? Aiy. cAitdxen didn’t adk ta te SxougAt inta tAia woxtd, 3 cAoac ta ixing tAem into tAia woxld and now tAe^ deaexve 200°/^ of my cf-
foxt in pHoviding love and caxe fox tAem aa da all of the cAildxen Srnn in tAia woxld evexyda^.
3f gou wexe aiuaed ox neglected in an»f way. aa a cAild, pleaac know tAat if gou txeat goux cAitd tAe same way. a a^de will con
tinue tAiougkout tAeix. livea and tAe tivea of goux gxandcAildxen. fBteoA tAe cgcte of aSuae and get kelp, gou will tAen become a kexa ta
goux cAild and wouldn’t tAat te a xewaxd within itaelf.
Sincexely,
Cx^tal Aiittex
Cl Concexned AlotAex