Last year, an estimated 678,000 children were found to be victims of child abuse or neglect nationwide.
April is the designated month to bring awareness to Child Abuse Prevention. We care deeply about this issue and want to provide you with some resources that will help bring awareness to our community. Here is one post that discusses the recent COVID-19 and the effects it may be having on child abuse and neglect.
An Unusual Side Effect of COVID-19
Cough, fever, tiredness, difficulty breathing. These are some of the symptoms we’ve all heard are caused by the COVID-19 virus that has sent our world into a frenzy. However, some children are seeing additional side effects that are indirectly related to the virus, ones that aren’t contagious but equally frightening. Doctors at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth say stress from the coronavirus pandemic may be linked to the six cases of child abuse they saw this week, one resulting in death. This is a drastic increase compared to the typical eight per month that the hospital normally sees.
With most businesses and schools being closed, families are forced into close proximity with each other. In addition, anxieties around the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on families, including illness, job loss, and financial stress are all factors that could lead to physical, emotional, verbal, or mental abuse. As a result, children who are in unstable home environments are currently at a much higher risk of experiencing abuse during this time of quarantine.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, TBHC was forced to postpone our Go Blue for Kids fundraiser lunch. This luncheon brings attention to child abuse prevention month and the children who have experienced abuse and neglect. But attention still needs to be brought to this issue now more than ever in light of current circumstances. If you’re like me, then you’ve been taking all the necessary precautions to make sure you don’t come in contact with the coronavirus, or at least that you don’t contribute to its’ viral spread. Likewise, we as a community need to be equally vigilant in addressing the potential for abuse that exists in our community in a time like this.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Help spread awareness by sharing this blog post. Drawing attention to the issue is the first step toward eliminating the crisis.
2. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, you are urged to contact the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400.
3. The new date for our TBHC Go Blue for Kids fundraiser lunch is September 15th, 2020. We would love for you to join us to hear more about the hope our children have because of community members like you and the opportunities you have to help children thrive after experiencing trauma. To get your tickets, or to be a sponsor for this event, click the link here.
Similar to the prevention of COVID-19, each one of us has an important role to play in reducing the number of children who experience abuse and neglect. TBHC wants you to know that the current crisis our nation is facing cannot inhibit our motivation to protect the sanctity of human life and promote the preservation of the family. There is still work to be done for the Kingdom, and with the help of our community, we will continue to find safe and loving homes for at-risk kids
Sources:
https://www.newsweek.com/texas-hospital-child-abuse-cases-rise-covid-19-outbreak-1493642
https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/preventionmonth/spread-the-word/
