Child Abuse Prevention Month

Details

Created on Friday, 29 April 2016 21:00

Written by Morgan Vaudrien

ST. JOHNSBURY-In 1974, President Nixon signed the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), beginning a nationwide response to the problem. In 1983, April was declared Child Abuse Prevention month by President Reagan. From the beginning, art has been a way to express oneself, and spread awareness.

Local St. Johnsbury partners are using art to spread awareness, in a display for Child Abuse Prevention month and Sexual Assault Awareness month as well.
"My boss assigned me to do a window display for April- April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness month and he wanted me to create something that represented those causes'" says Michelle Collins, a Case Manager in the Children's Advocacy Center at Caledonia Special Investigations Unit. This is where child and adult victims of sexual abuse and children who experience serious physical abuse can go to receive support.
"I found a local artist, Ricky Golden, who did the artwork."

“I was very excited and honored, since this topic of conversation holds a place deep in my heart,” said Ricky Golden, the artist for the project.
The display is a three window display, on Eastern Ave in St. Johnsbury. The material used was donated metal roofing, from a burnt down building, and sheets from local hotels. On each piece, there are images representing child abuse or neglect, and sexual assault. There is also a sign explaining what month it is, to raise awareness.

“We started getting together to talk about the best way we can represent both issues in one small display,” Golden said, “After many other ideas we came up with the triptych 2D solution to represent awareness of both causes within the panels.”
"It's supposed to be powerful," says Collins, "Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education."

“I just hope that perhaps the message got across and that my small painted contribution maybe helped to encourage a victim to speak out or get help, as that usually is not the case,” says Golden, “I was very happy to do my small part in the community”.