How We Can All Help Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect
Since 1983, April has been marked for Child Abuse Awareness campaigns. Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America), one of the country’s leading authorities on the topic, established a national symbol in 2008 with the campaign Pinwheels for Prevention.
We know that children who grow up in safe, stable, loving households often go on to be healthy, happy, and productive members of their communities. The reverse can be true; the negative impacts of child abuse and neglect can create significant struggles for a person in adolescence and adulthood. Importantly, there are protective factors like high-quality care and healthy relationships.
There is no single cause of physical, emotional, sexual abuse or neglect. There are usually multiple contributing factors at the child, caregiver/perpetrator, family/community levels. For example, children under one are more likely to experience physical abuse and children with a disability are more likely to experience neglect. Adults who struggle with substance abuse, emotional regulation, or limited knowledge of child development are more likely to perpetrate abuse or neglect on a child. Community factors like a lack of support or the burdens of poverty can create or worsen unsafe environments for children.
Research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows clearly that there are substantial health and economic consequences of child abuse and neglect–and that in preventing both we can actually prevent other forms of violence as well.
Many of the CDC prevention strategies happen at a community level, which means we can all play a role in raising awareness, educating ourselves and others, and changing social norms.
- We can remove risk factors like the stresses of poverty by providing economic support. Making sure all parents have employment, secure housing, and income for groceries, healthcare, and childcare provides safety and stability for parents and kids.
- We can add protective factors like improving healthcare and education for parents and kids in the first five years of a child’s life. All parents should have equal access to quality care, education, and support in the first five years, but in the U.S. that is not the case. Ensuring both parents and children have what they need in the early years is critical for success later in life.
- We can intervene to lessen harms and prevent future risk. Choices works directly with parents/caregivers before and/or after child abuse or neglect has occurred. We get to know each family’s unique set of circumstances and needs, then work with them to make a plan to move forward based on their own strengths and goals. Learn more about our programs here.
Read PCA America’s public policy priorities to learn how we can prevent child abuse and neglect. See if there is a chapter near you and get involved. Follow Project Harmony, based in Omaha Nebraska, for safety tips like 8 Questions for Safer Sleepovers and 9 Rules for Adults.