PRINTER'S NO. 1872
No. 268 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, BAKER, DINNIMAN, ERICKSON, FERLO, FONTANA,
KASUNIC, LAVALLE, MELLOW, PIPPY, REGOLA, RAFFERTY, ROBBINS,
STACK, STOUT, TARTAGLIONE, WASHINGTON, A. WILLIAMS,
C. WILLIAMS, HUGHES, FOLMER AND EARLL, MARCH 31, 2008
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, MARCH 31, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the month of April 2008 as "Child Abuse Prevention
2 Month" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Each year more than 1 million children in the United
4 States are documented as the victims of child abuse, and at
5 least 1,500 children die as a result, with children under four
6 years old accounting for 81% of the fatalities; and
7 WHEREAS, In 2006, 31 Pennsylvania children died as a result
8 of abuse and neglect and there were 4,152 substantiated cases of
9 abuse; and
10 WHEREAS, The damaging effects of child abuse include, but are
11 not limited to, school failure, alcohol and drug abuse and
12 physical and psychological difficulties; and
13 WHEREAS, Child abuse crosses all racial, economic and
14 geographic boundaries and has reached epidemic proportions
15 across this nation and throughout this Commonwealth; and
16 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania General Assembly enacted the
17 Newborn Protection Act, or Safe Haven Law, in 2002; and
1 WHEREAS, Twenty-eight of the 31 Pennsylvania children who
2 died in 2006 as a result of abuse and neglect were under the age
3 of five years and 14 of the children were under the age of one
4 year; and
5 WHEREAS, More than half of the perpetrators in 2006 were
6 relatives or household members; and
7 WHEREAS, Child abuse can and must be prevented and awareness
8 raised so that families learn they have access to community
9 resources which offer support, information and guidance to help
10 stop or prevent abusive behaviors or conditions; and
11 WHEREAS, Thousands of Pennsylvanians in schools, social
12 service agencies, churches and neighborhood groups throughout
13 this Commonwealth are working hard to nurture and support the
14 victims of child abuse and prevent future abuse; and
15 WHEREAS, In spite of the dedication and sacrifice of these
16 individuals, much more still needs to be done to guarantee a
17 childhood free of abuse and victimization to every child in this
18 Commonwealth; therefore be it
19 RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of April 2008
20 as "Child Abuse Prevention Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it
21 further
22 RESOLVED, That the Senate commend those persons who work to
23 treat and prevent child abuse in Pennsylvania and urge all
24 Pennsylvanians to do their part in preventing the tragedy of
25 child abuse.
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