Protect our most precious resource

To the editor:

At The Children’s Place Child Advocacy Center, our job is to help protect children from abuse all year. Each April, we encourage members of our community to join us in recognizing national Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness month. Please do your part to help protect and advocate on behalf of children, our community’s most precious and valuable resource.

Please notice the Children’s Memorial Flag flying on the city of Wasilla’s flagpole near the Wasilla chamber (train depot) office. The images on the red flag depict blue, paper-doll-like figures of children holding hands. In the center, there is a white chalk outline of a missing child. This striking image symbolizes the thousands of children lost to violence in our country every year. A sad and true fact of the Mat-Su Valley is that our children are included in these numbers. Each year, children in our very own community are victims of violence, sexual abuse and even death.

In 2010, The Children’s Place saw 208 Mat-Su children (ages 0-18) due to reports of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse and other violence and maltreatment. This was a 17 percent increase over 2009. These numbers are alarming and unacceptable. Please join us in stepping up to be a strong voice and protective force for children. Not just in April — but every day.

If you suspect a child is being harmed physically, sexually or emotionally, make a report. You do not need to “investigate” or “prove” the abuse — if you’re suspicious, make a report and allow the authorities to sort through the facts. To make a report of suspected abuse, please call the Office of Children’s Services at 357-9797 or the Alaska State Troopers at 745-2131. If you have questions about abuse or need help reporting, please call The Children’s Place at 357-5157.

Kids depend on responsible, caring adults to protect them. Will you help?

Jen Burkmire

Executive Director

The Children’s Place

Wasilla