Local groups bring awareness to child abuse prevention month

HUMBOLDT, Tenn. — If you travel around West Tennessee in the coming weeks, you might see more blue pinwheels, each representing a child who has been the victim of abuse or neglect.

“April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and so all across the nation, we are bringing awareness and education to abuse and neglect of children,” said Dr. Sheri Keenan, coordinator for the Center for Community Criminology and Research.

At the University of Memphis Lambuth, the criminal justice student association and the Center for Criminology and Research have teamed up with local agencies to spread the word about how children are abused in our communities.

“This is a visual reminder that we are all responsible to reduce, recognize, report, child abuse and neglect,” Keenan said.

The groups will be hosting events throughout the month and sporting the color blue.

Friday’s partnership was with A Mother’s Love.

“A Mother’s Love is a long-term residential treatment facility for pregnant women and women who are postpartum up to three months,” said Rachel Hill, program supervisor at A Mother’s Love.

At first, the connection between an organization that treats addiction and an organization that works to prevent child abuse might not be clear, but representatives say they help one another.

“We get to take these women out of the situations that they’ve been in, which for a lot of them, there’s been a lot of abuse and violence. A healthier mom makes a healthier baby,” Hill said.

A study in Tennessee in 2017 found nearly 9,000 children were victims of neglect or abuse.

Even though we can’t stop every case, we can make an investment now to help out the future.

“To walk through that process with them, and watch them grow and heal and learn, it’s an amazing opportunity,” Hill said.

The University of Memphis Lambuth will also have the following events through the rest of the month:

• April 12: Silent Witness silhouettes will be displayed to represent those who have experienced violence. This will be an all day event.
• April 14: Men’s White Ribbon campaign is an all day event in which men wear white ribbons as a pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about all forms of gender-based violence and discrimination.
• April 15: Take Back the Night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This event supports the mission of ending sexual, relationship, and domestic violence.
• April 16: Safe Hope Center at 9 a.m.
• April 23: Safe Baby Court at 10 a.m.
• April 30: University of Memphis Lambuth sign at 8 a.m.