Submitted by CASA of Venango County
CASA of Venango County would like everyone to know that throughout the month of April we observe Child Abuse Awareness & Prevention Month.
This month is meant to bring attention to the child abuse and neglect that is right here in our own community. It is mostly hidden from us, but it is there.
Now, during this pandemic, children are home when they would normally be at school. At school, they would be away from the abuse at least for a little while. Teachers and other school personnel would be taking care of them and noticing when there was a change in the child’s behavior or if there was visible evidence of abuse at home.
As if that weren’t tragic enough, the kinds of situations we find ourselves in right now that cause a lot of additional stress on adults (and everyone else) can lead to even more abuse than usual. And if a parent has a substance abuse problem and cannot get their fix, they may become even more abusive due to the withdrawal symptoms.
So, during this time when abuse and neglect are hidden even more than usual, please keep your eyes and ears open for abuse in your neighborhood. Perhaps they will be playing in their yard as the days get nicer.
See or hear something, say something and report anything resembling abuse or neglect. The Childline reporting number is 1-800-932-0313. And consider this; doubt is not a reason to not report. It is truly better to report and be wrong, than to worry you’re wrong when a child may be living in abuse and neglect in the place where they are supposed to be the safest.