Throughout April, the Alliance and our members have been hitting the pavement to raise awareness for Child Abuse Awareness Month. Take a look at some of the highlights below.
Education and Outreach
We structured our campaign efforts around weekly themes that aimed to educate, mobilize, and inspire action. During the first week, we leveraged our digital platforms to share information about how to report child abuse and where to find a Child Advocacy Center (CAC).
Our members worked locally, hosting events, garnering media coverage, and bringing people together for childhood safety!
Investing in Survivors: Action Day at the Capitol
Federally, historic lows in the fund for crime victim services mean potentially devastating cuts. In reality, these cuts will make it harder to ensure children can access the services and support they need to heal.
Coalition members met at the State Capitol to advocate for investing in survivors!
As a result of this work, our state legislature is moving toward providing nearly $10 million in supplemental funding over the next year. These funds will help offset the impact of federal cuts. While more work lies ahead, we are grateful to our legislative champions [add names here] for taking a strong stand on the critical need for crime victim services.
Our coalition partners include
- Mending the Sacred Hoop
- Minnesota Alliance on Crime
- Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coaliton (MIWSAC)
- Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA)
- Violence Free Minnesota
#WearBlueDay
On Friday, April 5, we all wore our best blues for #WearBlueDay, and teams all over Minnesota participated.
The Twin Cities skyline shone blue, too! Seeing landmarks across Minnesota turn blue made a powerful visual statement for child abuse awareness.
Buildings, bridges, and sporting venues turned their lights blue on the night of April 5.
Local Press
Check out these local news stories from our partners:
- Central Minnesota Child Advocacy Center on KNSI Radio
- Family and Children’s Center on WXOW ABC News 19
- First Witness Child Advocacy Center on Fox21Online
- Mayo Clinic Center for Safe and Healthy Children and Adolescents on KIMT3 News, KIMT3 News Story 2
Thank you!
We are so grateful to the CACs, multidisciplinary teams, and supporters who are raising awareness of child abuse. One in ten children will experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday. Until we can change that reality, more work lies ahead.
Together, we can make our communities safer, and above all, we can deliver on an important promise. When a child experiences violence, we can ensure that they get the support and care they need to heal, grow, and thrive!