April Child Abuse Prevention Month

Author: Greg Duggan

With the support of Prevent Child Abuse Vermont (PCAV), Governor James Douglas '72 recently proclaimed April "Child Abuse Prevention Month." A non-profit organization, PCAV works year-round to curb abuse. Based in Montpelier, the organization has sites throughout the state that strive to carry out the group's mission: to "promote and support healthy relationships between children and the people who care for them in order to eliminate child abuse."
For April, PCAV has sent calendars to child-care centers and homes across Vermont. Executive Director Linda Johnson described it as "a special calendar comprised of things to do each day that are fun and nurturing to do with children." The calendar has simple activities and suggestions such as "hug and tell your children, 'I love you' every day" and "start a collection with your child, such as stamps or rocks." The calendar aims to foster bonds between parents and children in order to prevent child abuse.
Even though child sexual abuse has dropped 45 percent overall from 1990 to 2001, abuse still exists as a major problem in Vermont. In 2001, 1,161 children were abused or neglected in the state. Johnson said that child sexual abuse is the most reported form of abuse in the state, followed by physical abuse and neglect. Perhaps the most shocking element of the abuse concerns the age of the perpetrators. "Twenty-five percent of all child sexual abuse is done by children age 11-14," said Johnson, explaining that the victims are typically siblings, peers or younger children. Johnson added that "half of all the child sexual abuse is committed by males under the age of 20, and then half of that group are middle school students."
PCAV has three programs designed to prevent sexual abuse. The Understanding and Responding to the Sexual Behavior of Children Program teaches parents and caregivers about healthy and unhealthy sexual behavior in children, and instructs the adults on how to prevent children from sexually abusing other children. Care for Kids integrates a prevention program into childcare settings, preschools and kindergartens. The Sexual-Abuse-Free Environment for Teens (SAFE-T) Program works in middle schools around the state to foster healthy relationships between adolescents.
In another area, PCAV offers a variety of programs that promote healthy relationships between parents and their children. For instance, the organization provides a number of peer-led and professionally-facilitated parent support groups. Additionally, PCAV offers Nurturing Parent and Child Programs specializing in certain relationships. The programs include Nurturing Fathers, the Nurturing Program for Teen Parents and the Nurturing Program for Parents with Developmental Delays, as well as programs for parents of children of various ages. Each parent education program runs for four months.
Johnson explained that while working with parents, PCAV emphasizes "parent education and support, letting people know how to comfort a crying infant, that every parent experiences stress and what to do about it, how to reach out, find support, find information."
All who attend the clinics chooses to do so on their own accord. Johnson said people "may be referred by social services or by a friend or a neighbor or doctor or therapist, but when they come to us we ask them if they want to participate and if they do want to participate we're so glad to have them."
Because it is a non-profit organization, PCAV obtains most of its help through volunteers. In addition to 15 employees, the organization receives 200 to 300 volunteers a year and the help of at least 1,000 child-care providers and other professionals who work with parents and children. Even with all the help, Johnson stressed that her group is "always looking for volunteers."