WRITEON FOR
APRIL 24
sister alies.
APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH and it is very important to highlight. In fact, the 20thC Club put a powerful display in front of the library...to remind us all of the horrors of this human tragedy.
Seems a great place to share a few 'facts', many of you will know, but to put in stark relief as we celebrate this Easter season where human cruelty meets resurrection and redemption.
As a Catholic I know all too well how the horrors of sex-abuse has infected a wide range of people world-wide (victims, survivors, and perpetrators). Other traditions, Baptists and Evangelicals are now also reporting need for work in this area. Other institutions where it is possible for children to be alone with predatory adults (sports, police, schools etc) are need to get going to try to root it out. Not an easy task but we know mucho mas more can be done!
Recent stats indicate that 1 in 9 girls report being abused before 18yrs and 1 in 53 boys. 82% of all victims are girls under 18yrs. Ugh!Females are 4x likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault. (Catholic News Service,2018).
All of the above and more adds up to over 60,000 children reported to be abused every year and those who survive are often left not with physical wounds but deep psychological/emotional ones. This creates a huge social cost as well!So far, reports Julie Asher, no grand jury, congressional committee or law enforcement organization has undertaken a broad societal investigation of what is happening to children in public as well as private schools, sports and other youth-oriented programs and organizations, in pediatric facilities and perhaps most common, in families! WHAT?
So here are 10 tips offered by the USCCB (Catholic Bishops, 2018) to protect children:
1. Sexual abuse is about the victim.
2. The residual effects of having been abused can last a lifetime
3. No one has a right to have access to children
4. Common sense is not all that common
5. Child sexual abuse can be prevented
6. Feeling heard leads towards healing
7. You cannot always predict who will be an abuser
8. There are behavioral warning signs of child abusers
9. People can be taught to identify grooming behavior.
10. Background checks are important
Let's use the energy and love generated by our Easter celebrations and get rid OURSELVES of this epidemic.
TY 20thC Club for your commitment and alerting us once again!
BLESSINGS.
