April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

  
 
With nearly 25,000 substantiated cases of child neglect and abuse reported confirmed in Indiana in 2009 with 38 child fatalities – 79 percent of which were under the age of three – Prevent Child Abuse Indiana and Prevent Child Abuse Starke County are working together to raise awareness of the life-threatening issue. Child abuse is preventable, which makes these statistics not only alarming, but disturbing.

The organizations are looking to provide educational opportunities to help change the way Hoosiers value and support the well-being of children and families in Indiana.

Wendy Elam, executive director of the Starke County Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, said that while no one can do everything, everyone can do something. She said during the month of April, the organization is asking everyone to consider the choices they make to ensure that children in Starke County are safe and receive nurturing, loving experiences every day. She said the theme for the year is “Nurturing Children and Affirming Families.”

Child abuse and neglect does not affect just children; rather, the issue affects everyone. For more information or to see how you can help prevent child abuse, call the Starke County Prevent Child Abuse Council at (574) 772-3331 or (574) 772-2222.