Members of the local support system that help child abuse victims in Central New York gathered Friday in Syracuse to point out the significance of the next calendar month.
“I, J. Ryan McMahon II, county executive of the county of Onondaga –“
“And I, Ben Walsh, mayor of the city of Syracuse do hereby proclaim the month of April 2019 as Child Abuse Prevention Month.”
The proclamation was made at the McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center as they kick off their month-long campaign. It’s a place where kids get interviewed by Sheriff Gene Conway’s team.
“Make the awareness known that we still have children being abused by people in our community. And how do we make people aware of this tremendous facility, that is here, ready and able and willing to serve those children as victims.”
The interview process is handled with care, according to the Executive Director of the Center, Colleen Merced.
More than 3 million child abuse victims are affected every year in the US.
“[The process] not only results in a more successful investigation and prosecution, nut also, more importantly, provides a better and less traumatic response for children victims.”
Merced adds that child sexual abuse is the most prevalent health problem that children face today.
“What this means is that everyone in this room knows somebody that’s been abused as a child.”
The McMahon-Ryan Child Advocacy Center’s “Go Blue 4 Kids Campaign” goes through April and the annual awareness breakfast is Monday April 1 at the Holiday Inn, Liverpool. Learn more about the organization at McMahonRyan.org.