Child abuse - itís never OK
Posted 4/26/02

April is National Child Abuse Prevention month. Two weeks ago we highlighted the winners of the poster contest at Milaca Elementary and featured a couple posters created by the students. A Blue Ribbon Hunt is also being sponsored by the The Mille Lacs County Family Information Network (F.I.N.) with messages of ways to prevent child abuse.

Originally, I wanted to do an article on child abuse and so I went on the internet to find information and statistics, but I quickly realized that a bunch of numbers donít mean much compared to talking with actual victims of child abuse.

Sadly, thereís more child abuse than people realize or want to admit. Child abuse comes in many forms - physical, sexual, mental, neglect and malnutrition.

Itís difficult to "spot" an abused child. Abused children live in rich homes and poor homes.

You might not see physical signs of abuse, like bruises or black eyes. An abused child can be shy or an extrovert, happy or depressed. The child may seem overly anxious to be loved or quite distant with people.

Thatís when the saying, "It takes a village," really applies.

Two years ago a teacher at the Milaca Elementary School discovered a young girl had been sexually abused by the girlís father. It was because of the child abuse prevention posters that the teacher made the discovery. Thanks to that teacher, the young girl is now away from the predator for good.

Unfortunately, she still has a lot of healing to do and it may take years to overcome the pain she endured.

When children grow up in an unhealthy environment, they donít always realize its wrong. Quite often, abused children assume the reason theyíre being treated so badly is because they did something wrong to deserve it.

No child deserves to be abused.

Taking a few moments to ask questions and offer hope to a child can provide the opportunity for a confused, frightened child to open up and get help.

If you see something that looks wrong, donít turn a blind eye to it. Children are not always able to stand up for themselves and adults must make decisions in the best interest of children. Stop and get help for the child and help end the vicious cycle of abuse.

Children are people who need to be treated with respect. They need be given an opportunity to grow in a healthy environment, to live and love without fear of abuse.

The following is a poem written many years ago by a confused and frightened child.

Silent Cries and Suicide

We donít see the silent cries.

Wrapping ourselves in our own little world,

We laugh at them any chance we get.

Never helping them.

Maybe if we would have listened - just once.

Or talked to them, returned a hug, help give them a little push.

Instead we chose to ignore.

Concerned with only ourselves,

We never see their pleas.

We only hear what is said,

Not what is truly spoken.

If we could just open our glazed eyes,

Look inside,

And see,

Their silent cries...