How To help preventing child Abuse
Prevention of child abuse and neglect is a community effort. Individuals in the community can play a role in helping families find the strength to raise safe, healthy, and productive children. A majority of parents don’t want to harm their children. Abusers are more likely to have been abused themselves and don’t know other ways to parent. They may suffer from mental or chronic health problems, struggle with substance abuse, and commonly have high stress and lack of support. Parenting is one of the toughest and most important jobs. We all have a stake in ensuring parents have access to the support they need to be successful parents. You can start by getting to know your neighbors. Help a family under stress by offering to give them a break and babysit for a few hours, help run errands, help a parent with a small child get through checkout line at the grocery store, or reach out to children in the community. If a child discloses they are victims of abuse, first believe them, listen, and don’t be critical or negative of child or parent. Assure the child they are not to blame and report the incident.
According to the National Child Abuse Statistics “In the United States of America, there are approximately 3 million reports of child abuse and neglect each year involving 6 million children.” It is everyone in the community’s right and responsibility to report suspected child abuse or neglect. By contacting your local child protection agency or police department, you can make a report. You do not need to have evidence or actual knowledge of abuse to make a report. You should have reasonable cause, heightened concerns, or belief based on observation. Reporters can be anonymous so you do not worry about exposing your identity if you want.
If you know of an incident of child abuse or domestic violence, it needs to be reported, and it needs to be reported by you now. Not tomorrow; not next week. If a child is in danger, he needs to be rescued from it today. Call the police, call local law enforcement, call 911, or call The National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Do not try to intervene or become involved in the situation, as it could lead to additional danger.
Dr. John DeGarmo is a leading expert in parenting and foster care. Dr. John has been a foster parent for 14 years, now, and he and his wife have had over 50 children come through their home. He is a consultant to legal firms and foster care agencies, as well as a speaker and trainer on many topics about the foster care system. He is the author of several foster care books, including The Foster Parenting Manual, and writes for several publications. He can be contacted at drjohndegarmo@gmail, through his Facebook page, Dr. John DeGarmo, or at The Foster Care Institute.
