NORTH CAROLINA
Daily Reflector
Thursday, May 19, 2016
When we hear stories about children being violated by someone trusted in their lives — a teacher, coach, pastor, or family member — we are horrified and angry. Often in these situations, people likely knew something was wrong, but did not act out of fear or lack of knowledge. This is why the line in the Academy Award-winning movie, Spotlight, resonates with us at Prevent Child Abuse NC: “It takes a village to abuse a child.”
Our reactions cannot stop with horror and anger. We all have a role to play. We can prevent child sexual abuse when we shine a light on protective factors and stay involved in our community and work together to make sure our schools, faith communities and neighborhoods are safe, nurturing environments for children of all ages.
Preventing child sexual abuse is not the responsibility of children; it’s the responsibility of the adults who live in the neighborhoods and communities where children live. Sexual abuse has been identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as a significant public health issue.
Child sexual abuse is preventable. There are ways school leaders, PTAs, coaches, faith leaders, communities and parents can prevent abuse from occurring. When we speak up, we transform the lives of children, the adults they will become and the schools, faith communities and neighborhoods they call home.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.