Community invited to walk to raise awareness of child abuse, neglect

COLUMBUS — Every April, just as the trees begin to blossom and buds start to emerge from the soil, a special kind of garden also springs to life.

Inside lawns and flower pots of businesses, agencies and residences across Polk County, tiny blue and silver colored pinwheels have taken root, which gently spin against the warm spring breeze to the delight of those who see them. For many, the pinwheels are a reminder of simpler days, when all they had to worry about was what time their parents wanted them to come inside for dinner, after playing outside all day after school.

In spite their innocence and whimsy, these pinwheels are intended to raise awareness for children whose lives are anything but simple — those who live with the pain and suffering caused by abuse and neglect.

Later this week, the community will have a chance to learn more about how to spot signs of child abuse and how to do more to fight the problem during the Polk County Community Child Fatality Prevention and Protection Team’s annual Child Abuse Prevention Walk.

Parents and children alike are invited to participate in the event, which will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at Sterns Park in Columbus, and will feature a walk along Sterns Park. Along the path, guests will learn more about child abuse, including how to spot signs of the problem, how to help children in dangerous situations and how to get more involved in the fight to prevent it from happening in their home, neighborhood and community.

There will also be plenty of other free activities for guests to enjoy, including lawn games, music, a bouncy house, prizes and a free T-shirt giveaway. Volunteers will also serve free food during the event, including hot dogs.

The event takes place in conjunction with Child Abuse Awareness Month, which takes place every April across the country. For years, Polk County Community Child Fatality Prevention and Protection Team — an interdisciplinary group of community representatives who meet to promote a communitywide approach to the problems of child abuse and neglect — have organized the walk in April to raise awareness for the problem.

In spite of being a small, rural community, Polk County is no stranger to issues with child abuse. In 2017, officials with Polk County Consolidated Human Services received 324 reports of child abuse, said Kim Wilson, senior program manager with the agency.

“Because Polk County is considered a retirement community, child abuse is not an issue that is on the forefront of people’s minds here,” Wilson said. “But it does happen here — and it’s concerning.”

In addition, there are 44 children in Polk County who are currently in foster care. Wilson estimates that her agency works with between 170 and 190 children every month, handling adoption, foster care and other such cases, that are often linked  to abuse and neglect, she said.

To help combat these issues the Polk County Community Child Fatality Prevention and Protection Team wants to help inform those in the community of some signs people should look for in children who may be dealing with such problems, including bruises or marks on their skin, odd or inappropriate behavior, or, in some cases, hearing youth say things that allude to them or their friends suffering from abuse at home.

In many cases, though, children never show any outward displays of such problems — especially in cases of neglect, such as not being fed well enough, which happens far more often than outright abuse, Wilson said.

In addition to informing the public on how to fight against child abuse problems that already taking place, the prevention and protection team also seeks to get local adults involved in the fight to eliminate child abuse, by creating an environment where every child matters.

The team said there are many ways for individuals to help improve the lives of children, be it by getting their service organization, business or church involved in efforts to promote child abuse awareness; by joining an organization such as Big Brothers Big Sisters that directly benefits local children in need; or simply by sharing some kind words with a child who is going through a tough time.

“No matter how small, any action taken against child abuse is helpful, whether it’s being supportive to people they know or getting involved in an organization,” Wilson said. “Any small action is a ripple that creates a larger wave of action.”