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Advocates for Children recognizes Child Abuse Prevention Month

The Daily Tribune News - 4/16/2017

In observance of Child Abuse Prevention Month, hundreds of pinwheels are anchoring the grounds of the Bartow County Gold Dome Courthouse. Planted by Advocates for Children's staff, the pinwheel garden - situated around the corner of Erwin Street and Cherokee Avenue in downtown Cartersville - underscores the need for adults to protect the county's "most vulnerable population."

"A local Prevent Child Abuse Georgia Council first used pinwheels as part of its grassroots awareness campaign and the tradition was quickly embraced around the state," said Karen White, president and CEO of Advocates for Children. "Not long after, PCA America incorporated the pinwheel in national campaigns. The Pinwheels for Prevention campaign has seen more than 3 million pinwheels distributed nationwide since April 2008. Pinwheel gardens ? planted in communities across the nation are visual reminders that we all play a role in ensuring happy and healthy childhoods for all children everywhere.

"Several hundred are placed locally to increase awareness, as well as expand dialogue and community engagement around the healthy development of all children and the prevention of child abuse before it ever occurs."

She continued, "The pinwheels represent real children, ones that I've had the privilege of knowing and that our organization assists each day. Children are a gift and they should be cherished. I struggle with the fact that they are not all treated as well as they deserve. My hope is that the public sees the pinwheels and feels compelled to do everything within their power to help. It can start with an honest dialogue about child abuse and neglect and a commitment to make every effort to learn about prevention. That would be one of the greatest gifts our adult community could give to our youngest generation."

Formed in 1983, Advocates is a Cartersville nonprofit that assists more than 3,000 area youth and families each year. Along with operating Flowering Branch Children's Shelter, the organization provides numerous programs that aid in the awareness, prevention and treatment of child abuse.

"Advocates offers many different ways to get the community involved in protecting our most vulnerable population," said Cami James, Advocates' Positive Parenting Program director. "One of the best ways to protect a child is to become educated on the signs of child maltreatment and how to respond. Our Darkness to Light class teaches community members how to do both. Another vital way to help protect children is by supporting our organization. Community members can donate time, items and money. Volunteering with our programs, providing a meal and donating essential items help support each of our programs. Financial donations, corporate partnerships and supporting our events - like the Duck Dash and Duck Derby May 5 and 6 - are essential to the success of our programs.

"Individuals who experience abuse and neglect in childhood become at-risk of social, emotional and cognitive impairment, often leading to health-risk behaviors, which result in disease, disabilities and social issues during adulthood - all of which is completely preventable. Advocates for Children understands all of the risk factors families and children face and how to prevent them. That is why it is vital we recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month, and why we engage our community. Every single adult has the power to change a child's life. By supporting Advocates for Children, you can help prevent child maltreatment before it ever occurs and help build a better Bartow."

Along with the pinwheel garden and conducting an information session and rally April 13, Advocates for Children is recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month by offering a Darkness to Light training at the Allatoona Resource CenterApril 26 at 10 a.m.

"It takes everyone to prevent and stop child abuse," said Amanda Tant, director of Advocates' Children's Advocacy Center. "We encourage all adults to take part in this training to become more informed on the trauma associated with child sexual abuse, the signs of child sexual abuse and what you can do to help a child that may be experiencing it in his or her own life. The training is two [to] two and a half hours long. It is a video-based training with 35 minutes of video, then a group discussion, then 35 minutes of video and then a final group discussion."

A statewide initiative, Darkness to Light's goal is to educate 5 percent of every community on recognizing the signs of child sexual abuse. As of December, 327 adults have received the training in Bartow.

"The purpose of Darkness to Light is to educate adults in prevention and intervention of child sexual abuse," Tant said. "Child sexual abuse is the most prevalent health issue affecting children today with the most serious of consequences. These consequences include substance abuse, homelessness, teen pregnancy, suicide, depression and criminal behavior. About 1 in 10 children will experience child sexual abuse before their 18th birthday. Child sexual abuse affects the entire community, every race, religion, socioeconomic class. Prevention and awareness is the only way to change these statistics."

For more information about Advocates for Children, visit http://advochild.org or call 770-387-1143. To pre-register or obtain further details about attending the Darkness to Light class April 26, email Tant atAmanda@AdvoChild.orgor visit the Allatoona Resource Center, 6503 Glade Road in Acworth.