April: National Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect and to promote the well-being of children and families across the United States. This observance was established in 1983, during the Reagan administration, when April was first declared National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Back then, there was an increasing concern about the number of children who were being abused and neglected in the United States. For instance, according to the National Children’s Alliance, an estimated 3 million children were reported as victims of abuse and neglect in 1981. This number continued to rise in subsequent years. So, the month was established to increase public awareness of these pressing issues, and ever since, it has motivated communities to take action against it. One of the most recognizable symbols of child abuse prevention month is the blue ribbon. According to the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance, this symbol has a very important history. It was started by a grandmother from Virginia named Bonnie W. Finney, who tied a blue ribbon to the antenna of her car as a way to remember her grandson, who died as a result of abuse. The blue ribbon quickly became a symbol of child abuse prevention and is now widely recognized as a symbol of hope and support for victims and survivors of abuse. According to data from the Alaska Children’s Trust, child abuse and neglect remain serious problems in the state. In 2020, there were 9,528 reports of child abuse and neglect in Alaska, and 2,018 children were found to be victims of abuse or neglect. These numbers represent a significant increase from previous years and highlight the need for continued efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect in Alaska. This year Alaska’s Children Trust is continuing its mission of raising awareness and providing solutions to prevent this issue with their GoBlue Day campaign, a day to officially kick off National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Alaskans are encouraged to wear blue, share selfies on social media with the hashtags: #BuildingTogetherAK or #GoBlueDayAK, or use allegorical Zoom and Microsoft Teams backgrounds on March 31st. ACT will also have opportunities for mini-grants for organizations raising awareness of child abuse, informational materials, and training sessions from topics such as internet safety, and parenting, and social media toolkits. To learn more about it, audiences can visit this website: https://www.alaskachildrenstrust.org/partner-toolkit. In addition, Sol de Medianoche is collaborating with Alaska Children’s Trust and Enlaces to host the Día del Niño event. After the success of last year’s event, there will be a wide variety of resources and activities for all the family. It will take place at Government Hill Elementary on Saturday, April 29, from 11am to 3pm. |