April is Child Abuse Prevention Month - Pinwheels for Prevention
The Harvey Area community came together Monday April 7, 2008 to place Pinweels for Prevention in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month. 800 pinwheels where displayed at Veterans Memorial Park in Harvey, representing the approximately 800 children in our community.
Each year in North Dakota approximately 4200 child abuse and neglect reports affecting 6700 children come into our county social service agencies. Those reporting are concerned about conditions or circumstances in which children are not safe and are being harmed in some way. Many of these cases are about neglect or emotional abuse. Some are related to physical and sexual abuse. All are worthy of our attention and concern. This year, there have been several articles in newspapers around the state reporting on these types of crimes against children, but few have addressed what communities can do for their families that could prevent the abuse and neglect of our children.
April is Child Abuse Prevention month. During April, many communities around the state will be placing blue pinwheels around their communities to not only celebrate our children and build awareness of their value to our community, but to remind each of us how serious the problem of child abuse and neglect is in our state and that everyone has a role in preventing it.
The pinwheel is being used as an identifiable symbol for child abuse prevention nationwide. The pinwheel will be used year after year to draw attention to our continued commitment to prevention and the engagement of citizens; community by community.
For more information visit the Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota Website @ www.stopchildabusend.com