Hi! Welcome back to my second video of the week. My name is Kira and I’m the youth services advocate for Family Advocates. In this video I’d like to talk a little bit about some statistics regarding child abuse.
In 2020, the CDC came out with the estimate that 1 in 7 kids in the United States had been the victim of abuse or neglect in the last year. And that’s likely an underestimate. 1 out of every 7 children. So it’s a shockingly common problem. A majority of these cases, over 60%, are cases of neglect.
So, what can we do about this problem? I’m going to reference the website preventchildabuse.org and share some things that they have shared as ways to prevent child abuse:
1. Be a nurturing parent. Kids need to know they are important, they are loved, and they
are supported.
2. Offer to help a friend, neighbor, or relative. Parenting can be overwhelming! Offer a
helping hand if you can.
3. Help yourself. Again, parenting can be stressful, and life in general can be
overwhelming. So, make sure you are practicing self-care.
4. Get involved! In schools, in your local library, in your church or place of worship.
Children benefit from having positive mentors and role models in their life.
5. Report suspected abuse and neglect. We all have the ability to do something about
abuse if we see it. And that’s by picking up the phone and making a call to your local
department of social services or police.
Family Advocates is a resource you can utilize any time if you have questions or concerns. We offer free and confidential counseling and support for all ages and we can help you find and connect with the resources you need. We are available 24/7. Our crisis hotline number is 1-800-924-2624. Thank you for watching!