 | Center offering bilingual seminars on abuse |
 |
|
Sunday, April 1, 2001
BY TOYA LYNN STEWART / Garland Morning News
In an effort to help prevent child abuse, the Galaxy Counseling Center will offer free seminars in English and Spanish this month.
The seminars are a way to provide education and community outreach, said Shelley Franklin, development director for the counseling center.
"We see the whole picture of child abuse," said Ms. Franklin. "We see children that have recently been abused, adults who are survivors of child abuse and families who have generational patterns of abuse,"
The one-hour seminars will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be offered every Monday in April at the Center, 1025 S. Jupiter Road. The seminars on Monday and April 30 will be conducted in Spanish. The rest of the series will be in English.
The seminars, open o the public, will be led by licensed therapists. Limited child care will be available on side. For information, call 972-272-4429.
Topics include shaken baby syndrome, child sexual abused, child abuse and neglect.
The information is designed to increase awareness and dispel myths about child abuse, Ms. Franklin said.
"We are in a somewhat unique position to see what abuse does to a family and a community," Ms. Franklin said. " We're seeing immediate effects with children and long-term effects with adult survivors. We see what happens to generations."
The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services reports that in 1998, 95,874 of Dallas County children of 16.2 percent -- were in environments where they were at risk for neglect or abuse. According to the report, there were 10,581 investigations of suspected child neglect or abuse. Of those 4,709 were confirmed as abusive of neglectful.
"I think it's important to educate the community about child abuse and the impact of child abuse," said Alisa Carr, a therapist at the center, "There tends to be a pattern of abuse, and the education can make people aware of the ways they can protect children."
According to the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, Texas in fiscal 1998 led the nation with 176 child abuse fatalities.
During that same time in Dallas there were 25 reported deaths caused by child abuse, according to the Dallas Commission on Children and youth.
"It's important that we're opening eyes that abuse is not just something we see on television or it's something that happens to other people," said Norma Power, a therapist at Galaxy.
Oftentimes we don't recognize instances of abuse if there aren't real dramatic changes in a child's behaviors," said Ms. Power, who will conduct the April 9 seminar on preventing child abuse and neglect.
Or if an abuser doesn't fit a stereotype, child abuse could go ignored, Ms. Power said.
"People think that if it's a minister, he's so holy it doesn't happen. Or if the person is educated or financially secure they they are the least likely to abuse," Ms. power said.
"None of us are immune to being abusive," Ms. Power said. "We have to be in control of ourselves because abuse as a child affects the life of a child for the rest of their lives ... including relationships and the ability to be successful as a human being."
Garland Family Outreach case work manager Byron Jackson said he is please that the counseling center is offering the seminars.
"April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and agencies across the state, like the Galaxy Counseling Center and the Garland Family Outreach, are promoting events to educated people in our community about child abuse and how to prevent it, " Mr. Jackson said.
Garland family Outreach is a child abuse prevention program that focuses on building better families.
It is a network of community based volunteers who work to prevent child abuse and neglect through one on one support to families.
"The child abuse prevention seminars that Galaxy is sponsoring for the the community will facilitate the need to promote child-abuse prevention by sending the strong message to the community that keeping kids safe is everybody's business, " Mr. Jackson said.
It's also a way for the agency to be more deliberate and assertive in its outreach efforts.
"The approach is education, not finger-pointing," Ms. Franklin said.
"It's about how to recognize it and what we can do to help."
The Galaxy Counseling Center is a nonprofit agency. its mission is to promote healthy family relationships and prevent child abuse and family violence.
 |
