By Demelza Ramirez | Echo
Unexplained bruises and fear of adults. Apathy and hostility. Nightmares and bed wetting. These emotional and physical signs on and in children are only a few of the clues that hint towards child abuse and neglect. An unfortunate truth in today's society, child abuse happens every day. It happens in Indiana, and it happens in Grant County. Some people are aware, others are not. First Light Child Advocacy Center of Marion hopes to change that.
On Saturday, April 26, First Light Child Advocacy Center will host its first 5K Run/Walk at Matter Park in Marion. According to FLCAC office manager Cassie Croussore, the 5K was decided upon because a 5K is a popular form of raising awareness for different organizations.
"This is the first 5K we've hosted," Croussore said. "But we hope that it becomes an annual event that grows and brings awareness to the community."
The 5K is not the only way FLCAC works to educate the community. Janet Bailey, the executive director at FLCAC, sometimes speaks in classes at Ivy Tech or Indiana Wesleyan University, both in Marion. Other times FLCAC will have booths at vendor fairs, handing out reading materials on prevention and reporting child abuse.
FLCAC works with local law enforcement in Grant County, and occasionally Miami, Blackford, Wabash and Cass Counties, as well as Child Protective Services in interviewing children when child abuse allegations have been brought to the authorities.
"We basically provide a safe environment to interview the child or children," Croussore explained. "We work with the Department of Child Services in Indy, local law enforcement and CPS to ensure that the situation is as simple and unintimidating as possible for the child."
According to the FLCAC Grant County statistic report, there were 1,431 cases of abuse and neglect investigated in 2011. Out of those cases, 252 children were interviewed at FLCAC.
Those wishing to participate in the 5K Run/Walk can register online. Registration must be made before the Run/Walk and costs $20. The 5K will take place at Matter Park in Marion. Check-in will begin at 7 a.m. and run until 7:45 a.m. The actual run/walk begins at 8 a.m.
Wish to report child abuse? Call the DPS hotline at 1-800-800-5556 or your local law enforcement. In an emergency call 911.
For more resources, see the links below:
Ways to support First Light Child Advocacy Center
Indiana Department of Child Services Statistics(Photograph provided by Flickr-user-Julia-T.)
