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DO YOU CARE ABOUT CHILDREN?
If so, sign this petition!
Did you know?
- In 2001, approximately 903,000 children were found to be victims of child maltreatment. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Maltreatment 2001.)
- Infants are at greatest risk for dying from homicide during the first week of infancy, with the risk being highest on the first day of life. Children younger than one year account for 44% of child maltreatment fatalities. (Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Maltreatment 2000. )
- Child abuse costs the United States approximately $94 billion every year. (Prevent Child Abuse America. (2001). Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States: Statistical Evidence.)
- If Adverse Childhood Experiences were eradicated, it is estimated that we would eliminate approximately 54% of clinical depression in women. (V. Felitti, R. Anda, et. al., Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine)
- One year of child abuse and neglect produces 35,000 future violent criminals and 250 murderers. (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids News Release, May 5th, 2003.)
We need 25,000 people to be a “Voice For Children” who do not have a voice in our political process. We will deliver the letter below with all of the received signatures to the White House, and also sort the signatures by State to deliver to applicable members of Congress. Sign today!
Dear Elected Official:
We, the undersigned, hereby inform you that we are dissatisfied with the current state of efforts to end child abuse and neglect. We have waited patiently for decades while research has shown the poor outcomes of neglected and abused children in almost every possible component of their future lives: physical and emotional development, social skills, education, employment, adult-onset illness, and early death. We have endured horrific story after horrific story about overloaded child protection systems, social workers, family courts, and foster care systems. Our hearts have ached over news details of 3-year-olds left to starve in apartments, 10-year-olds molested for years by clergy or teachers, and 19-year-olds who weigh less than 50 pounds. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH.
As your constituents, we demand:
- Support for President Bush's request to increase funding for the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) Title I basic state grants funding from $22 million in FY2004 to $42 million in FY2005 and for CAPTA Title II community-based prevention grants funding from $33 million in FY2004 to $66 million in FY2005.
- A significant increase in federal, state, and local investment in evidence-based prevention, intervention, and treatment efforts for children and families.
- Public service announcements in every community that address: sound parenting practices; child abuse and neglect public awareness; available resources for children and families in crisis.
- An immediate increase in the national discourse on child abuse and neglect, it’s financial impact of approximately $90 billion U.S. dollars per year, and the long-term impacts on our society (including increased drug use, teen pregnancy, heart disease, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, alcoholism, and depression.)
- Answers from the Presidential Candidates, during broadcast candidate forums, to specific questions of how they propose to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the millions of annual child abuse and neglect cases.
We submit to you, 25,000 signatures from Americans all over the country who care about children and want to ensure that they flourish free from abuse and neglect. Each signature on this petition represents an American who has committed to end child abuse by:
- Being a “Voice For Children” who do not have a voice in our political process.
- Informing their elected officials that children are important, and that they should do everything within their means to help end child abuse and neglect in the United States.
- Refusing to stand passively by while children are neglected, beaten, molested, tortured, and murdered.
We come to you angry and with saddened hearts because at least three children will die today from abuse and neglect in this country. However, we also come to you with hope that your position and influence can help to reduce that number, and eventually ensure that no children are assaulted and murdered at the hands of those who are supposed to love and cherish them.
We know that the public health epidemic of child abuse and neglect is enormous, unwieldy, and more than a little scary for public officials. This is why the majority of national organizations dedicated to the prevention, intervention, and treatment of child abuse have joined together in a coalition called The National Call To Action to help inform, guide, and mobilize all Americans in this effort.
We all want the same thing — to ensure that all children never know the horrors of abuse and neglect. Please work with us today to achieve that dream.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned |
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The National Call To Action is a collaborative effort of over 25 national organizations, committed to eliminating child abuse and neglect by the year 2020. This unprecedented initiative seeks to reduce the fragmentation of the child abuse and neglect field, raise awareness by empowering Authentic Voices and the communities in which they live, and identify and disseminate best practices in the areas of prevention, intervention, and healing.
Join our efforts and find out more at:
http://www.nationalcalltoactio... |
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