April is a lot of things. It’s National Poetry Month, Mathematics Awareness Month, National Marching Band Appreciation Month and, controversially, recently designated as Confederate History Month by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. The list goes on, but one of the most important subjects April honors is child abuse prevention.
Quick poll: How many of you were at one point a child? No? OK really, how many of you are at least thinking about applying to a program like Teach for America, where working directly with children is a main part of your job? In 2009, more than 35,000 people applied to Teach for America. Many others applied to foreign teaching services, community centers, local schools and other jobs related to child-development.
Because many post-graduation jobs and school clubs are related to working with children, college students are in the unique position to aid those being abused. It’s weird to think the same kid who grew that ironic mustache and screams the chorus to LMFAO’s “Shots” is actually someone’s role model. But it’s because we are still somewhat kids ourselves that we can better relate to them actual youngins.
The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act defines “child abuse and neglect” at a minimum as “any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.”
According to www.childhelp.org, “a report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds” and “almost five children die everyday as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4.” That’s not all — people who were abused as children are more likely to abuse substances, less likely to practice safe sex and more likely to complete the cycle and become abusers.
Looking back, I can think of at least one person I know whose life at home was violent. I couldn’t do anything then. But if I were to observe it today, I could do something now. Little kids might tell their friends that something is going wrong at home. But how many are actually going to be able to do something about it? They don’t know the difference between discipline and abuse. It’s our responsibility to help them. It doesn’t even have to be a kid you teach. It could be your little sister, her friends or your nephew’s classmate.
If you want to learn more or know a child who might be abused, visit www.childabuseprevention.org. The number for the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is 1-800-4-A-CHILD. Child abuse is not something that goes away, and some of our peers are still dealing with the aftermath.
Also, today from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Community Roots is holding their free concert to benefit Move the Movement, a charity that helps abused children, at the Nyumburu Amphitheater.
Shruti Rastogi is a senior journalism major and a member of Community Roots. She can be reached at rastogi at umdbk dot com.
