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By Curtis Galbraith

Community

October marks Child Abuse Prevention Month

Oct 8, 2019 | 5:30 AM

Grande Prairie’s Caribou Child and Youth Centre is joining similar organizations across Alberta in marking Child Abuse Prevention Month in October.

Last year, the Centre worked with 177 kids and non-offending parents. In addition, the PACE Child and Abuse Treatment Program supported 145 children and families last year while the PACE Safe Visitation Program helped 48 kids.

Buffy MacIntosh with PACE says the hope is the month will raise awareness and dispell some misconceptions.

“It’s really predominately around whether it’s happening or not. I think there is a lack of awareness around what unwanted sexual contact can mean and so we really want people to be aware of the dynamics involved in child sexual abuse.”

McIntosh says a lot of people believe children are sexually abused by strangers, but it is actually perpetrated by someone they know. She adds people are obligated to report suspected child abuse.

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“It is absolutely the law that if you are aware that a child is experiencing being exposed to some form of domestic or sexual violence, it is your duty to report. That is also something people don’t necessarily know, but that is part of our responsibility to the children in the community.”

McIntosh says people are often reluctant to get involved with someone else’s family.

“I think that needs to be part of the conversation is why do we let those kinds of fears take precedence over the safety of our kids.”

McIntosh is encouraging people to wear blue on October 24 in support of kids who are dealing with abuse.