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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 7, 2022 03:08 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Michele Brooks and Sen. Judy Ward |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Resolution Designating April 2022 as "Child Abuse Prevention Month" in PA |
| We will soon be introducing a Resolution designating April 2022 as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in Pennsylvania. Child Abuse Prevention Month is an annual observance since 1983 dedicated to raising awareness and preventing child abuse. According to the Department of Human Services’ 2020 Child Protective Services Report, there were a total of 32,919 reports of suspected child abuse in the Commonwealth in 2020, with the number of reports of suspected child abuse that were substantiated totaling 4,593. This is a 2.5% increase in substantiated cases from 2019. Sexual abuse remains the leading category of substantiated abuse, followed by physical abuse. In 2020, 73 children died as a direct result of abuse and neglect, and 115 children almost lost their lives. These numbers reflect the suffering of thousands of children in the Commonwealth who live in fear and often suffer in silence. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic, service interruptions, and statewide virtual schooling aided in this crisis by decreasing the number and frequency of our teachers, friends, and the public having eyes on our children and catching warning signs of abuse and intervening to prevent deaths. Child abuse crosses all racial, economic and geographic boundaries, and can lead to school failure, alcohol and drug abuse, physical and psychological challenges, and even lifelong disabilities. The opioid epidemic and increases in substance use disorders have exacerbated the scope and severity of the problem. By enhancing the public’s awareness of child abuse, and preventing and stopping abusive behaviors and environments, we are committed to breaking the vicious cycle of abuse and creating a safe, nurturing, loving home for every child in Pennsylvania. Please join us in honoring those advocates, agencies, churches, schools, and parents who are striving to guarantee children a peaceful upbringing, free of violence and victimization, and in raising understanding and encouraging action that will ultimately protect today’s children and generations to come. Thank you for joining us in support of this Resolution and these efforts. |
Introduced as SR274