Scheduled
Community Activities
Child Abuse is Family Violence
Child
abuse is defined as any act to harm or to threaten harm to a child’s
health or welfare which can occur through non-accidental physical or
mental injury, sexual abuse or attempted sexual abuse, sexual exploitation
or attempted sexual exploitation.
The lines between spousal abuse and child abuse are
blurred. Studies show that child abuse occurs in 30 to 60 percent of
family violence cases among families with children. A 1989 survey of 6,000
families found that 50 percent of men who assault their wives also abuse
their children. Another frightening statistic, the Children’s Defense
Fund estimates that 30 percent of abused children will abuse their own
children, perpetuating the cycle of violence into the next generation.
Child abuse, like any type of family violence, does
not discriminate. It occurs within every ethnic, religious and
socio-economic background. It is most likely to happen when parents lack
parenting knowledge and skills, are cut off from friends and family, have
unmet emotional needs, abuse drugs or alcohol, were abused themselves or
are going through a crisis.
| How
to Report Child Abuse |
|
Call your local
Department of Human Resources: |
| Autauga County |
334-358-5000 |
| Butler County |
334-382-3107 |
| Chilton County |
205-280-2000 |
| Crenshaw County |
334-335-7000 |
| Elmore County |
334-514-3200 |
| Lowndes County |
334-548-3800 |
| Montgomery County |
334-293-3305 |
|
| Call the Police Department if you live in a
municipality or the Sheriff's Office if you live in an
unincorporated area. |
| If a life-threatening situation exists, make sure
the person taking your call understands that emergency
intervention is needed. |
|
|
Abused children tend to lack development in social,
cognitive, physical and emotional skills. Many become dependent on drugs,
get into legal trouble or become runaways. Girls tend to get into serious
relationships at very early ages to escape their family life and often
find themselves in abusive relationships all over again.
There are characteristics that are common to many abused children. If
you notice one or more of these symptoms in a child, it is possible that
the child has been abused in some way. They include mood swings,
withdrawal or depression, bed wetting, eating problems, fear of adults,
sleeping problems or nightmares, self-destructive behavior, frequent
school absences or tardiness, bullying or aggressive behavior, and strange
bruises, burns or bites.
Family Sunshine
Center Scheduled Community Activities
April 2005
 |
April 1
 |
Kappa Delta
Sorority Swing-A-Thon
Cloverdale Park
4 p.m. – 12 a.m. |
|
|
April 5
|
Walk
a Mile for Rape
5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. |
|
Take
Back the Night
On the Capitol Steps
6 p.m. - 8 p.m. |
|
|
April 9
|
Family Day in
Luverne
Turner Park
12 p.m. – 3 p.m. |
|
“Give a
Hug, Not a Tug” picnic
Sponsored by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. &
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
Oak Park Pavilion
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. |
|
|
April 11
|
Maxwell Family Dinner
Maxwell Air Force Base
4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. |
|
|
April 12
|
Victims’
Rights Candlelight Vigil
In front of the Public Safety Building, across
from the Capitol
6:30 p.m. |
|
|
April 16
|
FSC Associate
Council Garage Sale
Former Pharmor location behind Wendy’s on
the Atlanta Highway
7 a.m. – Noon |
|
|
April 30
|
Deputy Dave's Day Health Fair
Former Dunbar Elementary School in Ramer
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
|
Art on the Avenue
Oak Park
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. |
|
Lowndes County Health Fair
National Guard Armory, Greenville
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
|
Bullying Prevention Seminar - The Bully, the Bullied, & Beyond: Strategies for Schools, Teachers and Parents - Help for Bullies, Victims, and Bystanders, by Esther Williams, LPC
Landmark Church of Christ
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
|
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More
events... |
