LUBBOCK, Texas — April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, Lubbock County Commissioner`s Court, the Lubbock City Council, and South Plains Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention are joining together to help bring awareness to child abuse and neglect with the 10th Annual Go Blue Lubbock campaign.
According to the campaign, child abuse and neglect rates in Lubbock County have remained higher than the state average for over a decade with an average of almost three confirmed cases every day in 2022. Lubbock County`s rate of occurrence is 9.5 victims per 1,000 children compared to the state average of 7.4. In 2022, two children lost their lives in abuse or neglect-related fatalities in this area.
Derek Danner, the executive director of the Children’s advocacy center, said those having troubles may not feel comfortable reaching out for resources.
“We need to do better as a Community and as a whole and try to reduce those numbers,” Danner said. “It’s not easy for folks to go ask for help in a lot of instances, so sometimes maybe being able to see something online or through a site that’s trusted.”
The South Plains Coalition for child abuse prevention, a group of organizations in town aiding in providing child abuse prevention resources, launched the website this morning at the 10th annual GO BLUE Lubbock kick-off.
Carla Olson, the advocacy chair for the South Plains Coalition, said they’re hoping this website can be a one-stop shop for people to be educated, find help, and report abuse and neglect.
“People can learn more about what is child abuse and neglect, how you report child abuse and neglect if you suspect it,” Olson said. There’s also a wealth of resources there. And different agencies that can help families before things get to the point of intervention.”
Steve Beck with Covenant Health and Lubbock Chamber of Commerce said the statistics are eye-opening, which caused them to put this website idea in motion.
“It’s one more resource and we cannot have enough resources, this is serious,” Beck said. “This issue, no child deserves to be abused or neglected, no life should be lost and this just gives us one more resource. one more tool to equip our community.”
All the organizations agreed it takes a community effort to keep our kids safe.
“Communities that have done a good job of luring child abuse and neglect, that’s when they’ve gotten everybody involved the schools, law enforcement, the judicial part is where everybody is helping to take care of those kids,” Olson said.
For more information on child abuse prevention as well as events happening around town for the Go Blue Lubbock campaign, visit their website.
