By Tammi Pitzen, Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County

April is Child Abuse Awareness month.  I want to use this opportunity to talk to you about the unvarnished and raw truth about child abuse. 

Generally, people do not like to talk about it.  I have been in meetings where we are talking about events for child abuse awareness and people do not want to talk about the non-sugar-coated version of this public health issue. It isn’t because people do not care.  I think it is because it is overwhelming.  I think it is because if you only look at the statistics and not the things you can do to prevent or intervene in abuse…. it is downright depressing.

Here is the harsh reality….

• 1 in 10 children will be sexually abused before their 18^th birthday.  In an average classroom in the United States there are somewhere between 20 to 30 students.  That means in every classroom there are two to three children who have been sexually abused or who will be sexually abused
• In our country, between 4 and 5 children every day die from child abuse or neglect.  That seems so high in a country as advanced as ours. 
• In Jackson County in 2017 (the latest information that has been released) we have 850 confirmed victims of child abuse. 
• In the state of Oregon in 2017 there were 30 children who died as a result of abuse or neglect.
• We all want to believe (and I am right there with you all) that child abuse does not happen in our community, in our circle of friends or in our family.  But the statistics tell a different story.  There are reports made.  There are investigations initiated.  AND there are reports found to be true and backed up by evidence.

Do you read those numbers and feel the same sense of urgency that I do to intervene…. to be a catalyst of change…. to be part of the tipping point? 

These numbers are not just statistics.  They are children.  Every single number represents a child.

You may be asking yourself…. what can one person do? I am so glad you asked. 

We are the key to protection for children.  All of us.  Singularly and in groups.  We.  Together.  We are the solution.

Here are some things that any of us can do to help prevent child abuse:

1. You can take a class through the CAC’s Protect Our Children program to learn to recognize and respond to child sexual abuse.
2. You can support the prevention efforts of your local CAC by donating precious time or financial support to their prevention programs.
3. You can become a foster parent. While this is not primary prevention…. it certainly helps to break the cycle of abuse if we have good, stable, safe, homes to place children when they cannot remain at home.
4. You can smile at a stressed-out Mom or Dad who is yelling or not treating a child in a way that is appropriate. And tell them what a beautiful child they have.  Believe it or not, it works.  I have tried this and, on occasion, the situation de-escalates pretty quickly.
5. You can listen to and treat with respect your own children.
6. You can talk to your children — both those who were born to you and those who are in your life — about body safety, about consent, and about what “no” means.
7. You can be present in your child’s life by knowing who is in his/her life and setting rules about who can have access to him/her.
8. Become a volunteer facilitator for the CAC Protect Our Children program.
9. Do not be a bystander when you see a child being hurt or mistreated. Make a report.
10. If a child says that someone is hurting them, respond by making a report, by reassuring them, by believing them, and by thanking them for trusting you.
11. Get involved with the issue. Volunteer at the CAC.  Volunteer at another child serving agency. 
12. TALK ABOUT ABUSE. Break the silence.
13. Stop stigmatizing the issue and the children that are at the heart of the issue. If a child could make it stop…. they would.  The issues lie with the adults and not with the child.
14. If you see a child that is disruptive and not pleasant to be around, remember that they may just be trying to survive. Offer them kindness instead of judgement.
15. Be present in your child’s life.

If you want to get involved by volunteering at the CAC either in our programming, as a facilitator of Protect Our Children or in support of Protect Our Children classes, please contact Danae Crawford, our Volunteer Coordinator at 541-734-5437 Ext. 1013.