Why it Concerns You
Why it concerns YOU, even if you don’t have young children “The world is not dangerous because of those who do harm but because of those who look at it without doing anything. “ -Albert Einstein The maltreatment of children is your business. As a member of the human race, as an adult, and as a member of a society, it is your right to speak out and promote issues and policies that demand safety and security for everyone that you know and care about. It is your responsibility to help those who cannot speak out for themselves- the children. You’ve seen the news, you’ve heard the stories. You know there are a lot of people out there who are in pain and a lot of people who are causing pain to others. The maltreatment of children is costing you money. . It is a public health problem that costs Americans millions of dollars each day. Intervention, treatment, foster care, incarceration, and medical care are among the programs that affect how much you pay in taxes, insurance rates, housing and other integral parts of your own life. The maltreatment of children affects your safety. Children who are victimized at an early age are shown in research to have higher rates of risky behavior and health problems on into their adult lives, including mental health issues. These factors can contribute to violent behavior in your community, schools and workplaces. We as a community must make sure that parents, caregivers and families have access to resources and support systems that are needed to prevent and reduce child maltreatment. No one person can do everything. But each of us can do something. And together We can prevent child abuse. Get informed. Be involved. See the difference you can make ! For more information about how child maltreatment prevention is everyone’s responsibility, visit www.preventchildabusega.org or call 1-800-CHILDREN (1-800-244-5373)