Community urged to remain watchful to prevent child abuse
The extent of child abuse can be difficult to measure in a community because of the different forms it can take, according to Joshua Strelbicki, assistant director of the Butler County Alliance for Children.
One method of community prevention of child abuse, Strelbicki said, harkens back to when neighbors would speak to one another from their porches.
“There was an unspoken responsibility to make sure your community was taken care of and safe,” Strelbicki said. “Through community efforts, through an individual's watchful eye, they can prevent child abuse before it happens.”
Strelbicki and Alliance for Children executive director Denna Hays led a workshop Tuesday evening in Slippery Rock during which they gave community members tips about what they can do to spot and respond to child abuse in their neighborhoods.
The two walked participants through several scenarios, and had them think critically about each before offering methods of engagement. Spotting child abuse is not always an easy task, Strelbicki said, so learning about potential warning signs and response methods is important for prevention.
“What this workshop (aims) to do is empower the community to care about community,” he said. “And find a way that is comfortable for them to engage in situations where there may be concern about a child. There are many factors that encompass a child being abused or neglected.”
In 2017, Child Protection Services investigated 532 calls in Butler County. Of those calls, 46 were substantiated by the agency, and one child died from child abuse or neglect-related reasons, according to the alliance.
Hays and Strelbicki said identifying cases of abuse can be difficult because of cultural, gender or even age differences between community members.
Taking action regarding possible abuse can be even more difficult, Hays said, because it may require an individual to cross a personal boundary. That's why connecting with other community members is vital to prevention.
Jondavid Longo, mayor of Slippery Rock, said the borough participated in the workshop in observance of April being Child Abuse Awareness Month.
As a board member of the Alliance for Children, he said the workshop would get the conversation about child abuse prevention started in the borough.
“It's geared toward teaching people about child abuse and identifying child abuse in the county,” Longo said. “It's to help be aware of child abuse in their community.”
Strelbicki said the Alliance for Children may host more front porch workshops in the coming months through the Butler County Prevention Council.
He said he hoped attendees of Tuesday's workshop learned how important one voice can be in preventing child abuse.
“When you live in a community, that community is dependent on you and your engagement,” Strelbicki said.
