Child abuse or neglect - we can't just look away

No one likes bad news. It's easy to say don't tell me about that because I don't want to hear it. Sometimes we want to turn away from problems and go about our business, be happy and don't look.

April is Child Prevention and Awareness Month. Yes, it happens here. Parents or guardians sometimes hit their children. Sometimes parents repeatedly yell at each other in front of children. Sometimes a parent will repeatedly say degrading things about the other parent in front of the child. Sometimes parents call their children names or say things like, "You're stupid" or "You're a troublemaker." Sometimes parents lock their children in the closet. Sometimes parents leave small children unwatched or fail to feed them. In other words, sometimes parents abuse and neglect their children.

Why do we need to know about this? As adults, a community and a society, we have a collective responsibility for children. Not only parents have rights; children have rights too - in particular the right to safety and health. Finally, fixing or punishing adults is harder than preventing problems by addressing the needs of children.

Don't look the other way. If you see a child in immediate danger, call the sheriff. If you have concerns about a child and their parents, call the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services, 687-4943. Talk to a social worker. Tell them what you saw. The division can provide services that help families.

If you are uncertain, call anyway. Then, if you are still uncertain, don't just rant and rave, educate yourself. Talk to others and be sure of your information. If needed, call again.

The individual stories of abused children only reach the newspaper when the worst happens. But that doesn't mean we should be complacent. Be aware.