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Know the Truth :
 There are nearly 3 million cases of
abuse reported nationally each year, according to the National Committee for
Prevention of Child Abuse.
In the State of Tennessee there were over 38,000
cases reported last year, or 104 children every day! In Tennessee, more children
suffer neglect than any other form of maltreatment. Investigations determined
that approximately 41% of the cases reported were for neglect, 16% were reported
for physical abuse, 24% for sexual abuse, 1% for emotional abuse and 18% for
other forms of maltreatment.
Staggering as those statistics are - it is all too easy to view this as "someone
else's problem" as we continue on with our daily routine.
The fact is that it affects every one of us, every day. Just
look at the facts. The center helped and improved the lives
of over 5,000 individuals in our community that were dealing
with the horrors of child abuse. The national static’s can
be overwhelming and very sad, everyday 4 children die as a
result of child abuse, 3 of those 4 are under the age of 4..
The Consequences
- Although they are helpless victims, children often feel responsible for
the actions of those around them . . . feeling guilty that they are such a
burden or trying desperately to be "good."
- When children are abused by people who are supposed to love them, they
learn that abuse is inherent in intimate relationships. Those who survive
child abuse are more likely to experience depression, engage in violent
behavior, have delayed academic achievement, and develop an impaired sense
of moral values.
- These effects are not limited to childhood; they linger to impact
adulthood as well. Those who are abused as children are far more likely to
become abusers themselves.
- The mission of the center is to provide support to families in
preventing and dealing with child abuse in West Tennessee and to help both
parents and children meet practical needs of preserving and improving the
quality of family life.
The Goal (Breaking the Cycle)
- Since we learn to be parents from the way we were parented, abuse often
becomes a tragic cycle - one that will continue to ruin lives for
generations unless we break the cycle and help the children who have already
been hurt.
- The Center strives to help parents and children deal with abuse when it
has already occurred, to prevent further abuse, and to provide support and
training to families where a potential for abuse exists.
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