April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

During the month of April, you may see blue ribbons hanging up around town and might wonder why. The Emerson Family Center is responsible for posting blue ribbons up in Starkville to shed light on the issue of child abuse.

The blue ribbon dates back to 1989 when a Virginia woman tied a blue ribbon to her car antenna in memory of her grandchildren and to bring awareness to the issue of child abuse. The blue was a reminder to her of the abuse her grandchildren faced and how she, and others, should fight for children in abusive situations. Eventually, it caught on nationally, and that is why you will see blue ribbons throughout the month of April in Starkville.

The Emerson Family Center is not stopping there, however. They will have programs all month long to address child abuse.

Today, they will have a Pinwheel Ceremony at noon and it is funded by the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services. Social distancing and mask-wearing is required for this function, if you choose to go.

Every Wednesday at 2 p.m. throughout the month, they will go live on Facebook to talk about different issues around child abuse. Every Friday of April, they encourage the community to post on social media in blue to bring awareness to the issue.

On Saturday, April 10, which is next weekend, they will host a Bikes Not Bruises Trike-a-thon from 10 a.m. to noon at Sudduth Elementary. All ride-on toys are welcome and helmets and masks are required, and the grand marshal of the event will be Aundrea Self who is an anchor at WCBI.

Child abuse is not only physical abuse, but it is also emotional/verbal abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. To report abuse, call 1-800-222-8000 or 601-432-4570. You can also report online at www.msabusehotline.com.