April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, and the Ozarks Regional YMCA is taking part in a national campaign this week focused on preventing child sexual abuse.
Five Days of Action, presented by the YMCA of the USA, is aimed at adults and offers ways they can know about, see and respond to child sexual abuse. People are asked to sign a pledge saying they’ll work to keep kids safe.
Megan McCormick, vice-president of youth development with the Ozarks Regional YMCA, said just being aware of the problem is key to helping prevent it.
“It helps you understand better what to look for, how to keep it from happening in the first place," she said, "how to intervene when — you know, there's some startling statistics. One in 10 children in the U.S. will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. Just being aware of that and how it can impact a child, knowing how to recognize the signs, how you can intervene on (behalf of) the child, who you tell, how you report what you know, what agencies do you follow up with — those types of things.”
Signs of sexual abuse can include sudden absenteeism or decline in school performance, difficulty sitting or walking, poor self-image and becoming withdrawn and anxious.
McCormick said if you suspect abuse, contact law enforcement or the Missouri Department of Social Services Children’s Division. If you’re not a mandated reporter, you can make an anonymous report.
“The thing about reporting is you present what information you know. You don't have to do any research. You don't have to have a 100% bulletproof case," she said. "But if you have a suspicion, it's better to report and let the authorities figure out the details and do the investigation on their end. It's better than ignoring it and then something worse happens to a child.”
She said anyone can watch for signs of child sexual abuse – whether it’s a volunteer coach, a clerk at the grocery store or any other adult who’s around kids on a regular basis. She hopes that by joining in the Five Days of Action campaign they can inspire other organizations and community members to create safer spaces to protect kids from abuse.
You can find out more at ymca.org.
