COLLEGE STATION, Texas — April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, an important month meant to bring awareness to children all over the country suffering from abuse and neglect.
There are many ways you can show your support for children in need in the Brazos Valley. To kick off National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Scotty’s House Child Advocacy Center and Voices for Children will partner with the College Station Police Department to host the Brazos Valley Blue Ribbon Ceremony on March 31st at 2 p.m.
The Ceremony will be held to honor the victims of child abuse in the Brazos Valley.
Another event taking place in the Brazos Valley is the 12th annual Pinwheel Garden event on the lawn of Prosperity Bank located at 2807 South Texas Avenue in Bryan at 10:30 a.m. on April 4. The event will be hosted by Scotty’s House, Voices for Children and representatives from Kappa Alpha Theta. Together, they will “plant” 1,293 pinwheels to reflect the number of children who received services at Scotty’s House and/or Voices for children in 2021.
The Pinwheel Garden will remain on display throughout the month of April to bring awareness to child abuse.
In 2020 nationally, there were 618,000 victims of child abuse, according to a study published by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. In Texas alone, it is estimated that on average four children die from child abuse or neglect each week, 206 children are confirmed victims every day and more than eight children are maltreated every hour. Last year, 199 children died due to abuse and neglect, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
Child abuse continues to be a persistent problem with more than a quarter of victims every year being under the age of 2. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services also found that there isn’t much bias when it comes to gender with boys making up 48.1% of victims and girls making up 51.6%.
Any child can be suffering in silence, which is why it’s important to encourage awareness and educate people on the resources available for struggling families.
You can show your support and solidarity for children in need on Friday, April 1 by wearing blue. Join thousands of Texans by wearing blue, the official color of prevention, on Texas Go Blue Day. Make sure to snap a photograph and use the hashtag #NCAPM2022 to show your support and showcase the importance of keeping children safe.
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