Athens City Councilman Chris Seibert, on behalf of Mayor Ronnie Marks and commission chairman Collin Daly, signed a proclamation officially recognizing April as Child Abuse Awareness month in partnership with the Limestone Child Advocacy Center.

Members of the Limestone CAC, as well as the Department of Human Resources, the Sheriff’s Department and other offices, gathered in front of the courthouse to witness the signing of the proclamation.

The proclamation stressed the importance of community involvement and the preventability of child abuse situations in engaged communities.

“Whereas preventing child abuse and neglect is a community problem that depends on the involvement among people throughout the community and whereas child maltreatment occurs when people find themselves in stressful situations — without community resources — and don’t know how to cope, and the majority of child abuse cases stem from situations and conditions that are preventable in an engaged and supportive community and whereas child abuse and neglect can be reduced by making sure each family has the support they need to raise their children in a healthy environment,” said the proclamation.

The proclamation asserted that child abuse and neglect increase the chances of criminal behavior and that child abuse prevention programs succeed with partnerships with local law enforcement and communities.

“Whereas child abuse and neglect not only directly harm children, but also increase the likelihood of criminal behavior; substance abuse; health problems, such as heart disease and obesity; and risky behavior, such as smoking, and whereas effective child abuse prevention programs succeed because of partnerships created among social service agencies, schools, faith communities, civic organizations, law enforcement agencies and the business community,” said the proclamation.

On behalf of the Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, the Child Trust Fund and Prevent Child Abuse Alabama, Marks signed the proclamation declaring April 2022 as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The declaration encourages citizens, agencies and other groups to increase efforts to support families to prevent child abuse and strengthen the community.

The CAC placed more than 200 pinwheels on the courthouse lawn, one for every child they interviewed in 2021 who alleged abuse.

The pinwheels can be viewed throughout April.