Child Abuse prevention everyone’s responsibility

April events highlight need for awareness, education

The Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities reported in 2015 that between four to eight children die each day from abuse and/or neglect in our country. 

That figure calculates to as many as nearly 3,000 children each year who are not able to survive the horrors of child physical and sexual abuse, including trafficking and neglect.  Almost half of these children are less than a year old, while 75 percent of them are under the age of 3. 

It is the mission of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Van Zandt County to reduce trauma to child victims of physical and sexual abuse through a unified effort that facilitates thorough investigations, effective prosecution, and the healing of children and their families. 

We offer forensic interviewing services to CPS and law enforcement investigators, as well as family advocacy (including crime victim’s assistance) and therapeutic services to our child victims and their families. 

Our community education and volunteer services provide programs for children, adolescents and adults about the signs of abuse and safety with programs like “Happy Bear,” “P.S. It’s My Body,” and “Darkness 2 Light.”

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Van Zandt County, along with our partner community agencies, want to encourage all of our community members to join in the fight against child abuse during April Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention month by wearing blue ribbons. 

The annual event, “Go Blue” Day, was Friday, April 8, and we hope everyone wore blue and made notice of the blue ribbons in our communities. 

Our annual Candlelight Vigil will be held at the Word of Victory Outreach Center at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 11.  

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