Using Social Media to Help End Child Abuse

When acquaintances hear that I am involved with an organization that exists to help prevent child abuse, they often respond with comments about how awful child abuse is and how necessary it is for someone to speak for abused children. Unfortunately, these conversations are often brief because many people are uncomfortable talking about children being hurt so they quickly change the subject. I understand. It’s a tough topic! However, the aversion to having a conversation about child abuse is one of the very reasons it continues to occur. We have to bring light to darkness!

Hancock4Kids believes we can help to prevent child abuse and neglect by raising awareness. We work to prevent abuse by creating dialogue within our community. We do this by finding ways to engage with people in a variety of environments. We offer free classes and host fun family events around the county. Our hope is that the information we share is passed on to others. This is where you come in! One of the most powerful tools we have to spread awareness is social media.

I came across an excellent blog post by another Child Abuse Prevention team, brightfutures4kids. They issued a call out for Social Media Ambassadors. The headline grabs your attention, right? Most of us have some level of familiarity with social media. This post makes a strong, but true statement – you can help prevent child abuse by supporting local child abuse prevention and child advocacy organizations through social media use. By liking social media pages, sharing posts, or following a group on Twitter you are helping to keep the conversation going.

Additionally, the BrightFutures4Kids post explains how many organizations like ours are dependent on grants and donations. When you engage in social media you are actually helping to support our efforts without doing much more than clicking the “like” or “share” button. Not many people want to support a stagnant organization so we keep moving and share our experiences on our Facebook page. If we can demonstrate that the community is behind us, we have a stronger chance at being considered for funding and donations. More importantly, by bringing the subject to the everyday conversation in your social media feeds, we can increase the dialogue, raise awareness, and help to keep kids safe!

Be sure to check out our Hancock4Kids facebook page and share a few posts. 🙂

Calling All Superheroes!

We had a blast at our first annual Superhero 5k! So many families came out dressed in their superhero gear–ready to have a great time. Check out this video for a glimpse of the fun! Hancock4Kids Superhero 5k – 2017

Planning is already underway to make the 2018 Superhero 5k event bigger and better than our first. Stay tuned for more info! We can’t wait to do it all again. Hope to see you there!

 

 

How to Report Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect

Hancock4Kids does not have the authority or training to accept reports of child abuse or neglect. Please follow the steps outlined below if you suspect a child is being abused. Say something—you could save a life. In most cases you can remain anonymous.

Take Action

1. Call.
   • If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
   • You can also call 1-800-4-A-Child. Professional crisis counselors at the ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline are available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. The staff has access to interpreters who can translate over 170 languages.
   • You can also directly contact the child protection agency in your state. These agencies are staffed with individuals who are trained to work with families and children when abuse is suspected. Find contact information for your state here. In Indiana, locate the agency in your county here.

2. Remain calm.
   • Provide specific, fact based details. Child abuse is an emotionally charged conversation but it is important to try to stay calm so that you fully report all of the facts.

3. Provide details.
   • If possible, prior to making the call, write down as much identifying information as possible – names and ages of child(ren) and adult(s) involved, address, phone number, etc. Be prepared to disclose why you suspect abuse or neglect. Jot down notes of eyewitness observations or conversations so that you are able to fully report all details.

4. Avoid confrontation.
   • Do not confront the individual suspected of abuse. This could potentially put the child(ren) in more danger. It also creates the risk that the abuser will attempt to coerce the child into lying when asked about the incident.

Can we really prevent child abuse?

“We don’t have that here.” “You should talk to people on the other side of town.” I’ve heard these phrases, and others along the same lines, when I’ve attempted to start conversations with people in my community. Child abuse is ugly. It’s not something people want to acknowledge could happen in their neighborhood. But guess what–Child abuse is not something that only happens to a certain demographic. Child abuse exists in rich families and poor families. It happens in urban areas and in the suburbs. Victims of abuse come from all backgrounds, races, religions, and genders.

One of the ways we prevent child abuse is by acknowledging that it exists in our community. We don’t turn away. We don’t assume it only happens to people we wouldn’t know. We talk about it and we take action. Together we can help to keep children safe and families strong!

Excuse Number 1: I’m Just One Person

Reality: If everyone did something to help end child abuse, imagine the results!

• Volunteer. Many non-profit organizations that serve children and families are only able to do so with the help of volunteers. Sometimes there is a cost involved to volunteer. Be prepared to pay a small fee to cover the cost of a background check. If you want information about volunteering your time and energy with Hancock4Kids – contact us Here.
• Advocate. Write letters, send emails, and / or call elected officials to let them know child safety is a priority. Speak with leaders at your place of worship or local youth sports organizations and make sure a system is in place to keep children safe by screening all volunteers that work with children.
• Support. Offer to provide childcare to a friend or relative so that mom and dad can have a break or date night. Be an approachable role model for other parents. Be willing to listen without judgement and lead by example.

Excuse Number 2: I have my own children to keep safe.

Reality: By helping to prevent child abuse you are helping to make the world a safer place for all children, including yours.

• Donate. If you are able to make a financial contribution there are many organizations in your own community that would appreciate your generosity. You might also consider donating toys and children’s clothing to local shelters or other organizations that help to support children and families. Talk to your kids about the children who will be receiving the donated items.
• Educate. Learn the facts about child abuse prevention and then talk to your children. The more factual information that is shared, the greater our chances for ending child abuse in all forms. Children need to know they can speak up if they are being abused. We cannot ignore the topic. Part of keeping children safe involves empowering them to speak up if they, or someone they know, is being hurt.
• Be Involved.  Get to know your children’s friends and their families. Volunteer at school and be a safe adult for children, setting a good example for them and for other adults.

Excuse Number 3: I’m too Busy

Reality: There are many things you can do that will not take a ton of time out of your already busy schedule.

• Donate. Find out if your company has a donation matching program. A few minutes of your time and your well-intentioned donation is doubled!
• Recruit Others. If your company has a community board or website, share information volunteer opportunities that you hear about but aren’t able to participate in yourself. Perhaps a colleague has time or knows someone with time to volunteer.
• Raise Awareness. If your place of employment has outside space, consider planting a pinwheel garden in April, Child Abuse Awareness month. Contact Hancock4Kids for additional information.

 

Everyone can do something, and together we can Prevent Child Abuse

Hello and thanks for checking out our blog!

Hancock4Kids became a chartered council of Prevent Child Abuse Indiana in 2015. Members have been working hard the past two years to create an organization that exists to educate the community about child abuse prevention. Some of our volunteers have experience with law enforcement, social service organizations, or other similar background. Some of us are mothers and fathers with no knowledge of how to run any type of organization. One thing we all share is our passion for keeping children safe! We came together with the sole focus of helping children and families. We learned as we walked through the application process, we wrote by-laws, met with social service organizations and government officials, we staffed booths at safety fairs and attended trainings across the state. It was not an overnight process, but we have planted roots and formed relationships in Hancock County.

Hancock4Kids presents quarterly Positive Parenting classes at Hancock Regional Hospital, our experts hold monthly classes for mothers and fathers incarcerated at the county jail. This summer, we held a Superhero 5k that drew a large crowd of families–dressed in their best superhero gear. We are identifying gaps and finding ways to fill them. Hancock4Kids is offering primary intervention information and resources throughout our community… and we are just getting started!

Stay tuned to see what we have planned for Phase 2 and find out how you can join the effort to keep childhood happy and innocent.