Last year, the Memphis Child Advocacy Center raised its flag 14
times, one for every youngster killed by child abuse. That was almost
three times the number of flag raisings as they had the year
before.
And, as the number of domestic violence and child abuse cases rises
across the country, some are blaming the failing economy.
As part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Child Advocacy
Center, the Exchange Club, and Court Appointed Special Advocates for
Children (CASA) will host the “Light of Hope Candlelight Vigil” on
Tuesday, April 21st, to remember children who have died from abuse.
The vigil, now in its seventh year, will take place at Juvenile
Court, 616 Adams, at 5:30 p.m.
Another part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month is CASA’s
“Awareness Project.” For the project, CASA placed white stakes with
blue ribbons in the park across from Juvenile Court. Each of the 3,000
stakes represents an abused or neglected child who went through
Juvenile Court without a CASA volunteer.
“[Court-appointed child advocates] get to know the child and
represent the child only in his or her best interest,” says Amber
Norris, director of development at CASA. “They build trust with that
child, so that the child will speak honestly about what he or she has
gone through, and also so the child will be honest about his/her own
wishes for the future.”
One participant, Jeni Chatham, now a student at Southwest Tennessee
Community College, was abused as a child by her father. After staying
for a time with relatives, she entered the Shelby County foster care
system. She was enrolled in De Neuville Heights High School, a campus
run by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd.
“I know during those years a lot of foster kids had a difficult
time, but I felt blessed to have been there,” she said. “I feel like I
really grew as a person, and I still talk to the sister that was at our
cottage.”
Other National Child Abuse Prevention Month activities include the
5K 4Kids on April 24th and an 100-mile ride on April 25th by Bikers
Against Child Abuse.
