Each year in the United States,
millions of children suffer some form of abuse or neglect. This maltreatment has
tragic and destructive impact on the child, and, ultimately, on us all.
Our society has been ineffective in
preventing, identifying and responding to the abuse and neglect of children. The impotence
of our social systems to help children does not mean that you, as an individual, are
powerless. Your actions can have dramatic impact on children in your community and, by
supporting the efforts of effective organizations, your actions can impact thousands of
children -- children in this generation and in generations to follow.
There are many ways that you can choose
to fight maltreatment. But whatever you choose, know that however small your
effort seems, your participation is critical. In the end, unless we all participate in
some fashion, we will always fall short of our true potential as individuals and as a
society. Choose to help in a way that works for you. You may want to work directly with
maltreated children or you may choose to contribute in any variety of important ways.
Please remember, you don't need to work directly with the child to be able to make a
dramatic difference in their life.
GIVE YOUR TIME: In your community, there are children
that need the gift of attention, respect, instruction, comfort and, from these things,
hope. So many children from abusive settings have lost hope. Even brief interactions with
respectful, honest and nurturing adults can be helpful to the abused child -- allowing
them to know that some adults can be kind and honest and predictable.
There are many ways to find children that need your
time. Volunteer to be a foster parent -- to rock the crack-addicted infant in the hospital
-- to teach a child to read -- to be an aide in the local public school -- to answer
phones at a battered women's shelter. In all of these settings, you can enrich the life of
a child. You can give a child hope.
GIVE YOUR SKILLS: You may not realize how your skills can benefit maltreated children.
Desperately under-funded child protective, child welfare and child mental health systems
can always benefit from the innovative use of your skills. A residential treatment center
may need help with accounting or computer programming. A local children's shelter may not
have a library. If you are a dancer, teach some foster children how to dance -- a computer
programmer, teach these children computer skills -- a writer, write
editorials/articles/books about these issues or help an agency make a newsletter. Your
skills -- whatever they are -- can be used to fight abuse. You may be able to bring
attention and awareness about abuse to your workplace -- you may be able to make your
workplace focus on some aspect of abuse. If you look, you will find that your skills are
desperately needed in one of the many agencies attempting to help maltreated children.
GIVE YOUR MONEY: In the United States, we spend more money on studying and treating abusers
than we do on their child victims. Research, clinical services and specialized
professional training in child abuse are dramatically under-funded. You can help support
these critical activities by financially supporting effective and innovative programs such
as the ChildTrauma Academy.
Donate online here
or
Direct donations to:
The ChildTrauma Academy
5161 San Felipe, Suite 320
Houston, Texas 77056
The ChildTrauma Academy is
designated a 501 (c)(3) organization by the IRS. Contributions are
tax deductible according to IRS regulations. Upon receipt of your
donation, we will send you a letter acknowledging your contribution.
As you give time, skills or money to help these
broken children, you may find that your life will be enriched -- and hope will have a new
meaning for you. You can make a difference in the life of a child with your time -- and in
the lives of many children with your financial support. Choose to act.
© Bruce D. Perry,
M.D., Ph.D.
