WOOD RIVER - Community leaders and organizations gathered for a Child Abuse Prevention Month Kick-Off Event.
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On Friday, April 4, 2025, community members were invited to Riverbend Family Ministries for the event. Different organizations, including Refuge, Oasis Women’s Center, Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, the Child Advocacy Center and more, were present to share their work with attendees. Speakers addressed the prevention of child abuse and the importance of advocating for kids.
“This month is about standing up for our children, raising awareness and doing what we can to prevent child abuse in our own communities,” said Erin Bickle, executive director of Refuge. “It’s a reminder that each of us has a critical role to play in the lives of our community’s most vulnerable. We have a role to make sure that every child feels safe, cared for and loved.”
Bickle said that children build resilience by having at least one caring adult in their lives, and anyone can be that adult. She also pointed out that child abuse is “100% preventable,” and that adults in the community can get involved in the lives of children and advocate for them.
Madison County Chairman Chris Slusser read a proclamation that names April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Madison County.
Rachel Chruszczyk, Southern Region Prevention Specialist for Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, noted that this year’s theme is “Powered by Hope, Stenghthened by Prevention.” She urged attendees to remember their responsibility to protect children, and she thanked the organizations for their work providing resources to local families.
“Our hope is a call to action,” Chuszczyk said. “It’s the belief that the work we do every day, educating, supporting, advocating, lays the groundwork for a better tomorrow. Hope drives our dedication to raising awareness, providing resources and fighting for policies that protect children. Hope lives in every community that actively works to prevent abuse before it ever happens.”
Holly Mulvany, the regional administrator of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, shared a few statistics with the crowd. The organization served over 4,000 families last year through their Family Preservation Program, which enabled the families to stay together. Mulvany said it is an “exciting time for DCFS,” with new initiatives to improve their work and keep kids out of the child welfare system.
“We know that when parents are supported, their families are stronger and safer, and we also know that children do better when they are able to remain at home safely,” she explained. “Of course, we can’t do this all alone, and through our collaborations and our community partners, our sister agencies and all of you here today, and our shared commitment to ensuring every child grows up in a safe and loving family, we will succeed.”
Chief Judge Chris Threlkeld of the 3rd Judicial Circuit spoke about Refuge’s mission to “provide hope and healing to children and their caregivers who have faced the trauma of abuse, neglect and violence.” He noted that courts have “the power to intervene” and improve children’s lives by removing them from “harmful environments” and connecting them to services.
“It takes all of us, friends, all of us to be the eyes and ears,” Bickle concluded. “I want all of us, this month in particular, to be mindful of every opportunity that we have to truly be a guide in the lives of the children that we encounter.”
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