Previous Story
Candles gleam for abused children
|
Posted on Apr 30 2001
Students from various schools led the procession for the lighting of floating candles at the American Memorial Park Saturday in memory of hundreds of victims of child abuse and neglect Saturday.
Armed with candles donned with blue ribbon, students and parents with light boats, trooped to the Park in silent prayer and offered songs to children whose memories were marred with abuse.
“Light your candle in honor of any child, especially a child victim of abuse in the CNMI and in all parts of the world,” said members of the Division of Youth Services-Campaign for the Children Committee.
The Floating Candle Light Memories is part of the month-long campaign of the DYS to raise public awareness on child abuse and neglect cases in the Commonwealth.
Although figures of abuse cases in the Commonwealth, have been consistently declining apparently due to the increasing public awareness on child rights and the laws that protect them, DYS had still recorded more than 200 cases in year 2000.
From 750 cases in 1997, child abuse and neglect cases dropped to 670 in 1998 and to 368 in 1999.
Child abuse includes physical injury, sexual abuse, physical neglect and emotional cruelty. More than one million children in the United States are abused each year, and between 2,000 to 5,000 of these abused children die.
DYS officer Cheryl Cepeda said the “For the Children” campaign committee solicits the support of the community to renew vows aimed at completely eliminating child abuse cases in the Commonwealth.
Early this month, DYS held a family-oriented program at the park where hundreds participated in support of the anti-child abuse program.
Based on Child Discipline: Guidelines for Parents, many parents do not know the difference between discipline, punishment and abuse. This is one of the reasons why child abuse happens to often.
The guidelines explained that children do not need to be hit to learn how to behave and that shame is not an effective way to discipline a child. In fact, shame can destroy the child’s self-image. (EGA)
