Preventing child abuse: We know how, but why don’t we?

Check out this op-ed on preventing child abuse by Robin Christian, executive director of Voices member organization Children First for Oregon, that appeared in the Oregonian this week.

During the past several weeks and months, local headlines have delivered us a steady stream of horror stories: child after child, burned and broken, molested and murdered. Jeanette Maples, Mahonarye Noa, a little boy known only in court documents as “R.H.” and numerous others whose names we don’t know. All Oregon children, abused — sometimes to death — by their parents and foster parents.

As one of the organizations in the state advocating for the needs of children, we read these headlines with a particular sense of sadness and outrage. Quite simply, we know how to make kids safer. Year after year, we take this message to the halls of the Capitol. Too many times, we are told that there is no room in the budget for the programs and services that strengthen families and save children’s lives.

Read the rest in the Oregonian!