The Brazos Valley’s annual recognition of April’s child abuse prevention month begins Thursday.
Cassie Medlin at Scotty’s House child advocacy center says you are invited to honor the children who were known abuse victims last year.
That includes 630 children in Brazos County, 90 in Washington County, 82 in Robertson County, 79 in Grimes County, 55 in Burleson County, 35 in Leon County, and 29 in Madison County.
Medlin said statistics show that children in rural counties are twice as likely to be abused compared to children in urban areas.
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, it is your responsibility to make a report to the Texas Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400, or online at www.txabusehotline.org.
Additional information from Scotty’s House about April child abuse prevention month activities around the Brazos Valley and how to report child abuse:
Thursday, March 31
- 10:30 a.m. the Madison County Blue Ribbon Ceremony will be dedicated at the Madison County Courthouse in Madisonville, with a reception directly following.
- 2:00 p.m. the Brazos County Blue Ribbon Ceremony will be held at the College Station Police Department, with a reception directly following.
Friday, April 1
- Texas Go Blue Day: Thousands of Texans will wear blue, the official color of prevention, to show their support for children. Make sure to snap a photograph and use the hashtag #NCAPM2022 to show your support and emphasize the critical importance of preventing child abuse and/or neglect, and keeping children safe!
- First Friday: Please join Voices for Children, Scotty’s House, BCS Together and Kappa Alpha Theta to kick off Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month and Texas Go Blue Day at the Voices for Children office at 115 N Main Street in downtown Bryan during First Friday. Thousands of Texans will wear blue, the official color of prevention, to show their support for children. Make sure to snap a photograph and use the hashtag #NCAPM2022 and tag Voices for Children and Scotty’s House to show your support and emphasize the critical importance of preventing child abuse and/or neglect, and keeping children safe!
Monday, April 4
- 10:30 a.m. Pinwheel Garden: Scotty’s House, Voices for Children, and representatives from Kappa Alpha Theta, will “plant” the twelfth annual Pinwheel Garden on the lawn at Prosperity Bank, located at 2807 South Texas Avenue in Bryan. A dedication ceremony will be held during the planting. The number of pinwheels planted, 1293, reflects the number of children who received services at Scotty’s House and/or Voices for Children in 2021. The Pinwheel Garden will remain on display throughout the month of April to bring awareness to the child abuse epidemic.
Tuesday, April 5
- 11:00 a.m. the Burleson County Blue Ribbon Ceremony will be dedicated at the Burleson County Courthouse in Caldwell, with a reception directly following.
- 2:00 p.m. the Washington County Blue Ribbon Ceremony will be dedicated at the Washington County Courthouse in Brenham, with a reception directly following at the Courthouse Annex.
Wednesday, April 6
- 10:30 a.m. the Grimes County Blue Ribbon Ceremony will be held at the Grimes County Justice and Business Center in Anderson, with a reception directly following.
Friday, April 8
- 10:30 a.m. The Leon County Blue Ribbon Ceremony will be held at the Leon County Courthouse in Centerville, with a reception directly following.
- 1:00 p.m. the Robertson County Blue Ribbon Ceremony will be held at the Robertson County Courthouse in Franklin, with a reception directly following.
To find out how to get involved in child abuse prevention efforts in your community, contact Scotty’s House at 979-703-8813, or visit www.scottyshouse.org, or Voices for Children at979-822-9700, or visit vfcbrazos.org.
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, it is your responsibility to make a report to the Texas Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400, or online at www.txabusehotline.org.
Click below for comments from Cassie Medlin, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver: