The MYC joined the YMCA and their “Five Days of Action” from October 26-30, a national YMCA campaign designed to raise awareness, inspire and educate adults on how to take action and protect children from sexual abuse, one day at a time. This included a PSA, that Director Jen Ward was asked to participate in! For PSA link, click here.During the designated week and throughout the year, the YMCA encourages all individuals and organizations to play an active role in making our local communities a safer place for children and families. Together we can prevent child sexual abuse by ensuring that adults have the knowledge, skills and resources needed to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.
Statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls in the United States are sexually abused before their 18th birthday, typically at the hand of someone they know and trust; and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that 1 in 5 children will be solicited sexually on the internet. Sadly, child abuse is happening, and it’s regardless of age, gender, race, religion or socio-economic class.
But these are not just numbers. Behind every number is a child, a child who has been robbed of their innocence. A child whose life will forever have been changed by the heinous act of an adult. We owe it to our children, and we owe it to their future, to do better.
When adults know how abuse happens, see the warning signs, and respond quickly to prevent abuse, they foster a culture of child abuse prevention. Together we can bring awareness to the issue of child sexual abuse in our communities and have important conversations on how we can all work together to prevent it from happening. Please join the YMCA to spread important awareness and resources with your social networks and family and friends around this devastating epidemic.