April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Child Abuse Prevention month. Throughout the month, Western Illinois Regional Council Victim Services have several awareness activities planned, explains Public Relations Manager Jamie Roth:
“We’ve got hands around the courthouse at the McDonough County Courthouse at 11 am this Friday, April 9th. That is where we focus on child abuse that is meant to raise awareness of it and how to prevent child abuse. We like to involve everyone who attends to hold a blue ribbon around the courthouse to show solidarity with survivors. We are displaying the clothesline project in several places throughout our service area. The clothesline project is a very emotional exhibit. It is a visual representation of sexual violence statistics here in Western Illinois. We are also working with local governments to sign proclamations. We are doing ‘Take Back the Night’ with Western Illinois University and that will be on Thursday, April 15th for the march and rally at WIU in Macomb, which will start in the evening.”
Brittany Hale with Prevent Child Abuse Illinois says keeping kids safe includes parent education, support for community programs like home visits and early intervention and the watchful eye of the public.
“All adults, each and every one of us, can learn the warning signs of abuse and neglect so that we can pay attention to the children that are in and around our lives.”
Some signs of abuse and neglect are: no parental supervision, wearing long sleeves and pants when it’s really warm outside, frequent absence from school, unexplained cuts and bruises and showing extreme behavior. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, you can call the Western Illinois Regional Council hotline at 309-837-5555.
