Prevention can be a powerful lever to move our society toward greater health and well-being. Child abuse programs have traditionally focused on individual family dynamics. However, we have come to understand that a community needs to work collaboratively and provide resources to families to prevent child maltreatment by offering services that promote education, understanding, and conditions that promote health and well-being.
The Goals of the Child Abuse Prevention Coalition (CAPC)
- Collaborate with other community agencies and members to accomplish a broad base of community-wide support to promote safety for all children.
- Strengthen our communities’ awareness of the precedence of child abuse.
- Create opportunities for community members to step forward and participate in child abuse prevention.
Upcoming Events
Through research, it’s been found that child abuse can lead to a broad range of problems including substance abuse, intimate partner violence, teenager pregnancy, anxiety, depression, suicide, diabetes, heart disease, sexually transmitted diseases, smoking, and obesity. (Fellitti et al., 1998; Repetti et al., 2002; Mercy & Saul, 2009) Just under half of child abuse victims do not tell anyone about their experiences for at least 5 years, while others may not disclose until they are adults- if ever. (Broman-Fulks et al., 2007)
Even when children do disclose, lack of effective adult response means that abuse often continues, or children do not get the help they need to heal. Data shows that one of the most important factors in minimizing the trauma of sexual abuse is the response the child receives when they disclose their abuse to an adult. Unfortunately, most teachers and parents do not have the knowledge needed to respond appropriately to disclosures of child abuse because this information is not openly provided. Through the Child Abuse Prevention Coalition, we hope to increase the community’s understanding of sexual abuse dynamics and make on-going education and information more accessible. It is also anticipated that this group will help to increase positive crisis response skills in school teachers and staff members as well as staff members in community non-profits. As well as improve our community’s understanding of mandatory reporting and schools’ protocols for responding to abuse.
The Child Abuse Prevention Coalition was convened in 2019 to form a community response against child abuse. The coalition, comprised of community schools, youth-serving organizations, medical and mental health agencies, and other community members, provides a unified voice and collective action to support children and seek an end to child abuse in our community. This coalition is committed to collaborating and learning together, building effective community outreach and support, and constantly working towards eliminating child abuse.
Coalition Members
Click on any logo below to be brought to that organization’s event calendar!
Interested in Joining the Coalition?
Contact Gracie Getschel – ggetschel@firstwitness.org – for more information about joining the coalition.