By Docker Haub
Student Reporter
With April being Child Abuse Protection Month, the Northwestern campuses have taken part in some activities to help raise awareness over the matter and to help spread love and joy for some of the victims of this terrible crime.
The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Social Workers Association of Tomorrow (SWAT) have been leading the charge. They have taken part in the “Wooden Children” project which is put on by the Garfield County Child Advocacy Center, and they have also designed a “Blue Ribbon Tree” for Northwestern-Woodward campus.
Led by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Blue Ribbon Trees are sponsored by the Child Abuse Prevention Action Committee.
The Blue Ribbon stands as an international symbol against child abuse.
This is the 11th year that communities in Oklahoma have displayed Blue Ribbon Trees for Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“The Blue Ribbon Tree is such a beautiful symbol of hope,” Alicia James, SWAT secretary, said. “And for us, being able to put one up on the Woodward campus is something we are happy to do and really everything we stand for.”
As for the “Wooden Children” project, it is designed to bring attention to the number of investigated child abuse cases that take place throughout each year. For Garfield County, 332 cases of child abuse were confirmed in 2018. The project features wooden children that are about three feet tall and are fostered by donors for $25. On April 1, the wooden children were taken to the courthouse to be displayed for the whole month.
“Being able to grow our activities for Child Abuse Prevention Month to other campuses shows that we are growing in the area of awareness of child abuse and neglect in the state of Oklahoma,” Jennifer Pribble, SWAT sponsor and assistant professor of social wor said.
“This is a subject not many enjoy discussing, but is a subject that all individuals need to be aware of as mandated reporters of child abuse in this state,” Pribble said.
“Visual reminders of this act brings the awareness that there are children experiencing child abuse and neglect in this state and, it takes all of us to protect these vulnerable children.”