Let’s make Texas a “no-kill zone.” And a “sanctuary state.” I’m not talking about saving the lives of dogs and cats or providing refuge to undocumented immigrants. Rather, I’m saying it’s time that we make sure that our state is a safe place for all of our children to live and grow up.
In fiscal year 2011, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services reported that 231 children died from abuse and neglect – 197 of them were under the age of 5. That is roughly one child every 36 hours.
The names behind those terrible statistics include Natalia, who was two months old; Jesse, who was nearly 5; and Marisol, who was 17.
During that same time, 65,948 children were confirmed as victims of abuse and neglect – that’s a child every eight minutes! It is little wonder that our child welfare system is overwhelmed.
During April, Child Abuse Prevention Month, you will hear about events marking a month we should not have to talk about. You will see people wearing blue ribbons – the symbol for preventing child abuse – and hear about candlelight vigils and other activities to mark this dubious occasion.
We have to go beyond lip service when we say we are committed to protecting our children and ensuring that they are safe, cared for, loved, encouraged, inspired and have the education they need for a brighter future. We cannot stop in our goal to protect our children when the calendar flips from April to May.
All of us have a stake in what happens to our children; too many are suffering and dying. I challenge you to do something to get involved. There are many organizations working to prevent child abuse and to help children who suffer from it, including CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates®). We need your help in turning Texas into a “no-kill zone” and a “sanctuary state” for our children.
Vicki Spriggs
Chief Executive Officer, Texas CASA
Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates®) is a network of 69 local CASA organizations with more than 7,000 trained volunteers who spoke up in court for more than 22,000 abused and neglected children in the child welfare system. CASA in the Heart of Texas, Inc. is a member of the Texas CASA network. For more information about CASA, visit www.BecomeACASA.org.