RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, with the pinwheel symbolizing hope and resilience and the healthy childhoods they all deserve.
Just for Kids says abuse is prevalent throughout the Mountain State, and their goal is to stop it whenever and wherever they can.
There were more than 5,000 child abuse/neglect cases filed in 2023 circuit courts.
One in 10 are sexually abused before they turn 18.
“We plant our pinwheels to show that all the children who have come through Just for Kids have hope and a support system (from us and the community),” said Executive Director Dr. Deanee’ Johnson.
According to Johnson, no area or region is exempt from the effects of child abuse in all its forms – whether child sexual abuse, physical abuse, or severe neglect.
“We even see children who have been witness to violent crimes,” the executive director said. “The more you talk about it, the more educated you are about it and (know) how to respond to it the healthier our children are. Intervention prevents that negative, lifelong consequence of being a victim of child abuse.”
