February 23 - Unnerving Calls

Poster from West Virginia's Child Abuse Prevention Campaign. For more information visit: http://www.preventchildabusewv.org/capmonth/index.html.

By Magdalena I. García

When the phone rings at an odd time and the voice on the other end is someone who seldom calls, you know that something is up. What triggered the call is a potential case of child abuse and neglect. The story involves an adult who is not necessarily a bad person, but who has unaddressed mental health issues and is, therefore, unfit to properly care for a minor.

It’s scary to get such a call. And it’s creepy to find oneself in the middle of such circumstances. But you know what is even more alarming? The real frightening thing is that child abuse and neglect are more common that we think, or would like to believe, and they happen in ordinary families. The call motivated me to read up on the subject, and here is part of what I found at HelpGuide.org, a non-profit site that provides a wide range of information on health and wellbeing:

MYTH #3: Child abuse doesn’t happen in “good” families.
Fact: Child abuse doesn’t only happen in poor families or bad neighborhoods. It crosses all racial, economic, and cultural lines. Sometimes, families who seem to have it all from the outside are hiding a different story behind closed doors.

The same source indicates that “while child abuse and neglect occurs in all types of families…children are at a much greater risk in certain situations.” And the list of conditions includes domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, untreated mental illness, lack of parenting skills, and stress and lack of support.

This means, of course, that the extended family, neighbors, schools, block clubs, community organizations, sports leagues, and even the church—despite all the recent bad press around this subject—have a tremendous role to play in preventing child abuse and neglect. All these systems and institutions can—and should—provide children and adults a positive environment in which to learn, grow, and relax. So thank God for the unnerving calls that remind me about the importance of promoting wellbeing through old-fashioned, weekly rituals like Sunday School and coffee hour.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, so right now is a good time to plan some special activities. For resources in Illinois visit: http://www.preventchildabuseillinois.org/code/capm-info.html.

Child Abuse Hotline:
To get help or report abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453).