Pinwheels for Prevention

One child suffering from abuse is one child too many.

That is the somber message being put forward as volunteers placed more than 900 pinwheels in front of the Genesis-Bethesda Hospital in Zanesville. Each pinwheel represents a reported case of child abuse and neglect in Muskingum County last year. Organizers say this display is all about awareness and prevention.

"If we all come together and work against the cause we can decrease these staggering numbers, dramatically decrease the incidence of child abuse and neglect," says Melissa Montgomery the Director of Women’s and Children’s Services.

Already this year Muskingum County has surpassed one thousand cases of child abuse or neglect. That staggering statistic may be the result of the economic downturn.

"I think many families are feeling stress financially, stress in the housing market, employment market and stress leads to frustration, which can lead to family violence," says Dave Boyer the Executive Director of Children’s Services.

Boyer and Montgomery say the public can help to put a stop to this by advocating for better public policies and reporting child abuse when you see it.

Some of the signs of child abuse are as follows: 

-Hungry
-Unhygienic
-Very timid or very aggressive
-Frequent cuts or bruises
-Often absent at school

If suspect a child is being abused, report it to law enforcement right away.