Abilene Police Push for Change after Working 36 Child Abuse Cases in 30 Days

By Erica Garner
KTAB/KRBC
April 3, 2018

http://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/news/main-news/abilene-police-push-for-change-after-working-36-child-abuse-cases-in-30-days/1098614297

During a press conference to kick-off Child Abuse Awareness Month Tuesday, Chief Stan Standridge announced the "Loose Change for Change" program designed to educate Taylor County 3rd graders and their families on the impact of child abuse while raising money toward prevention efforts in Abilene.

3rd-grade students are asked to bring loose change to school throughout the month of April to put in piggy banks donated to each campus by First Financial Bank.

The campuses from Abilene ISD, Wylie ISD, and Taylor County that raise the most money will be treated to an obstacle course, meal, and other entertainment at PrimeTime on April 20.

Staggering statistics released during the press conference show the dire need for programs like "Loose Change for Change."

Chief Standridge revealed the Abilene Police Department conducted 36 child abuse interviews over the past 30 days involving 1 attempted abduction, 3 witnesses to violent crime, 10 physical abuse cases, and 22 sexual abuse cases.

9 of the victims were ages 0 to 5 years, 20 victims were between ages 6 to 12 years, and 7 victims were over the age of 13. The offenders were mothers, boyfriends, fathers, brothers, sisters, stepmothers, neighbors, school employees, cousins, and other individuals known to the victims.

"The paradigm of 'we need to be mindful of stranger danger' has shifted. The reality is these offenders are typically in the home or in the immediate context of the neighborhood and we are seeing almost 100% of the time our child abuse victims know their offenders by name," Chief Standridge said.

Child abuse cases Abilene police are working right now include a preschool child whose hands were under hot water so long, the skin fell off, a preschool child who was hit in the face with a belt, a child who was forced to have oral sex with a family member, and a child sex crime offender with multiple victims spanning 20 years.

Chief Standridge stresses that "we can no longer ignore this and expect it's going to go away" and hopes the community will get behind him to tackle the growing issue of child abuse.