NEW CASTLE NEWS: April 8, 2011 — Child sexual abuse is one of the most common forms of violence perpetrated against our children. Yet, it can be said that it is one of the least understood by the most important people.
Who are these most important people? You, the parents, grandparents, caretakers, neighbors and educators of children. Most important, it is all of us, the protectors of our children.
Child sexual abuse is an epidemic in Lawrence County and the nation that devastates the lives of one in four girls and one in six boys before they reach the age of 18. There are more than 39 million survivors of childhood sexual assault in America today. It’s time to shine a bright light on this serious epidemic that affects the children and youth of our communities and become more proactive in our efforts to eradicate this problem.
The Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County continually works toward our vision of reaching every home in the county with our message that abuse of children will not be tolerated. But it takes a village to raise a child and the vision must be one which is embraced by the entire village.
Last year, 3,000 residents of Lawrence County took a public stand against child abuse by displaying a Believe Me When I Tell yard sign pronouncing their commitment to the protection of children. However, there are more than 90,000 residents in our village of Lawrence County.
Ask yourself these questions: How do we stop the epidemic? How do we eradicate a problem that has the potential to affect any child within every economic, social, racial and ethnic class? How do we make the well-being of the children of Lawrence County a community priority and one that is shared by all adults?
How do we work together to raise happy, healthy, self-confident children? How do we make the well-being of the children of Lawrence County a community priority and one that is shared by all adults? How do we create environments where children can live free of all forms of violence?
Taking this one step further, I also would ask: How do we become active bystanders against abuse, and protectors of children? How do we arm ourselves with the education and skills necessary to answer these questions, and then actively pass that knowledge along to every adult in our communities with zealousness?
Child abuse in all of its manifestations — physical, emotional and sexual abuse, along with neglect — is an epidemic that requires a commitment by adults to take on the role of protectors of all children, and interveners on their behalf.
Become part of the solution. Take a public stand, make a difference and become a hero by creating a vision of hope in Lawrence County for our children. In order to transform our communities and ensure the prosperity of our future generations, our message must be for a county where all children truly are valued as our most precious asset, nurtured toward their full potential and protected from all forms of abuse.
Let every We Believe You When You Tell yard sign you see remind you to make an effort today to make a difference. Let me stress that just because the yard signs you see say “We Believe You When You Tell,” this in no way shifts the onus to children to simply disclose abuse.
The message is: We as adults are committed to protecting children; we are committed to intervening on behalf of children; and if you, as a child, in spite of all of our efforts to protect you, are in a situation where you feel uncomfortable or afraid, we will believe you and we will act.
