Community Comes Together to Protect Children from Abuse

The Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA is participating in the Five Days of Action this week, from April 18-22, 2022. The Five Days of Action is a weeklong campaign to raise awareness and inspire adults to take action to protect children from sexual abuse.

The Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA encourages adults and organizations to join in marking this special week as our neighbors come together to make the community a safer place for children to live, learn and play. With summer right around the corner—when children gather for activities and camps—it is a great time to bring attention to the simple ways we can all make the children in our community safer.

During the Five Days of Action, the Y will be engaging these critical steps of prevention, “KNOW. SEE. RESPOND.” that will help adults better protect children. 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 about how we can all work together to prevent it from happening.

“The children of our community have the right to a happy and safe childhood, and it's our responsibility as adults and organizations to stand up to protect that right,” said Diane Romond, Child Care Director at the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA. “By joining in the Five Days of Action’s ‘KNOW. SEE. RESPOND.’ campaign, we hope to inspire other organizations and members of our community to create safe spaces that protect children from sexual abuse.”

The Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, with support from the YMCA Champions for Child Protection, YMCA of the USA, Darkness to Light, Redwoods Group Foundation, Monique Burr Foundation for Children, and American Camp Association, have made materials available to help adults learn more about preventing child sexual abuse.

Follow the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA on Facebook to learn more about the steps you can take to protect our children. For further information about preventing child sexual abuse, visit www.fivedaysofaction.org, where you can also take the “Pledge to Protect” children in the community. Materials are derived from YMCA of the USA’s “Know. See. Respond.” copyrighted in 2020.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE STATISTICS - PROVIDED BY DARKNESS TO LIGHT

• One in ten children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday.
• 90% of child sexual abuse victims know their abuser.
• Approximately 30% of children who are sexually abused are abused by family members.
• 60% of child sexual abuse victims never tell anyone.
• False reports are rare. Research shows that only 4 to 8% of child sexual abuse reports are fabricated.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU BELIEVE A CHILD IS BEING ABUSED - PROVIDED BY DARKNESS TO LIGHT

• You do not need to have proof that abuse is occurring to make a report, only reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion means that you have witnessed maltreatment or boundary violations, either in the child or adult, or both. Or, you have received a disclosure from a child about abuse, neglect, or boundary violations towards them.
• Child sexual abuse reports should be made to the police and/or state child protective services.
• Contact the Darkness to Light Helpline at 866-FOR-LIGHT or text LIGHT to 741741 to have questions answered by trained counselors at no charge.

To make a report of abuse in New Jersey, you can call New Jersey’s Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline at 1-877-NJ ABUSE (652-2873). If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.

# # #

The Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA is dedicated to improving the quality of life of the individuals, families and communities it serves through programs and services that build wholeness of spirit, mind and body. The YMCA is a not-for-profit organization founded on Christian principles, serving people of all ages, races, faith, cultures and socio-economic conditions. For information please call the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA at (908) 889-8880 or visit https://fspymca.org. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.