The recent situation at Penn State reinforces what we already know. Statistics show that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually assaulted before their 18th birthday. Less than 10 percent of these children will ever tell anyone what happened to them.

In the Penn State case, reports indicate that someone witnessed the abuse, yet apparently never told the police who could have investigated and taken action to prevent this from happening to other children. …Continue reading this post

The following post was contributed by an anonymous guest author.

I was abused from the ages of 6-17 by my stepdad. He did this at my most vulnerable times, while I was sick, injured or alone. I’d say to myself, “this can’t be real. I have to be going crazy,” and I just buried everything until the next time. He abused my older sister when she was about 10 years old. He was confronted, he denied it and nothing was ever done about it. The physical abuse stopped after she told our mom, but the emotional abuse continued. …Continue reading this post

Babies cry. That’s a fact of life. It’s how we handle the crying that can make a difference for a baby. It could have made a difference for Mason.

• When a caregiver feels frustrated with a baby or a child, take a break. Put the baby in a safe place like a crib or bassinet. Close the door to the room and call a friend.
• Talk with your babysitter about how they should handle crying babies or irritating child behaviors. Give him or her permission to call you when they feel frustrated.

April 12, 2005, six years ago, Michelle Maciosek was at work when she received word that her 9-week-old son, Mason, was shaking violently. She immediately went to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin where Mason was being treated for multiple brain hemorrhages and where it was also reported that his retinas were detached. Unfortunately, upon Michelle’s arrival, Mason was already brain dead, blind, deaf and in a comalike state.

Around 10 p.m. that night, Michelle had to make a decision that no parent should ever have to face. She decided to end his suffering after he was baptized in the hospital. It wasn’t until 5 days later, after the autopsy, that the Maciosek family found the cause of death – shaken baby syndrome. The family’s close friend and babysitter had shaken Mason so hard it eventually led to his death. Michelle Maciosek says:

“Children’s hospital was an amazing help and gave him awesome care. He was baptized and they gave him a blanket and a certificate of baptism for me to take home. Also, about a month later I got a package with a mold of his hand and a footprint in a heart along with about 5 sheets of his footprint and handprint painted on a piece of paper. I was amazed. It was such a kind gesture. I want to do a walk in his memory as his 6-year”angel date” is approaching and give back to Children’s Hospital for all of the care and time that they gave my son. I would like all the proceeds to go to help families that are or have been in my shoes. Shaken baby syndrome is a very serious thing, as you may know.”

Michelle stresses the importance of making sure that families choose their babysitters with great caution. She encourages parents to investigate and pay attention to the personalities and attitudes. “Just because they look good on paper and some people say some good things about them doesn’t mean they can’t eventually snap and do something bad.” Talk to everyone that cares for your child about shaken baby syndrome and how to handle a crying baby. If you are getting frustrated and can’t take hearing a baby cry anymore, put the baby in a safe place, such as a crib, go to another room and breathe. Calm yourself. Call for help.

For more information on the effects of shaken baby syndrome and how to handle a crying baby, visit the Child Abuse Prevention Fund.

You can help by making a donation, joining the conversation on our Facebook page and showing your support by wearing blue on Friday, April 15.

~ Jennifer Hammel, director, Child Abuse Prevention Fund

We know that most people understand that child abuse is critical problem on par with child poverty. The Child Abuse Prevention Fund is making a difference. By funding services like in home visits for parents interested in having support, we are able to make a significant difference in the lives of children. Throughout April, we will post information about how home visits are making a difference at facebook.com/CAPFund.  In the meantime consider this information about the prevalence of child abuse across the nation and in Wisconsin.

In 2009, over three million children were reported abused and neglected in the United States.  Of that, more than 56,000 reports of child abuse and neglect occurred in Wisconsin.  This means, a child is reported abused and neglected in our state at a shocking rate of every 9 minutes.

You can help us provide hope. You can help us make a difference in the life of a child.

~ Jennifer Hammel, director, Child Abuse Prevention Fund

I was a single mom with two babies under age 1. This is a struggle in itself, and I had a past that was pulling me in the wrong direction.

I am a survivor of child sexual, physical and emotional abuse. My mom spent several years in prison for selling cocaine and for having firearms. Despite this, I loved my mom and was devastated when she left one day and didn’t come back for three years. I was 12 at the time, so I had to help my grandmother raise my sisters and brother.

It wasn’t uncommon that I looked for love in the wrong places, finding myself with two kids and no parenting skills or family support. I was overjoyed to hear of a program that would help me become a better parent. I became involved in the Healthy Families program, a home-visitation program supported by the Child Abuse Prevention Fund at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. These programs work.

Healthy Families taught me how to set goals. The program taught me how to discipline my children in a positive way. I learned what behaviors to expect from my kids at different ages. My support worker, Shirley Wehmeier, was my mentor and coach. She taught me I could do anything.

I got my High School Equivalency Diploma and went to college for a year. I got my driver’s license, a car and a job in an office.

My family is a product of the Healthy Families program. My kids excel at school and are involved in sports and activities. I provide free credit and budget counseling services to people through La Casa de Esperanza and United Way of Waukesha County. I am a bilingual certified tax preparer, a certified notary and a certified housing specialist, doing pre- and post-purchase counseling for first-time home buyers and foreclosure prevention counseling. I also volunteer my time to help build a stronger community. Most importantly, I was able to break the cycle of abuse and my children are happy and healthy.

The Safe at Home campaign raises money to support home visitation programs like Healthy Families. Help families like mine. Visit safe-at-home.org.

~ Gina M. Sanchez