Community to Bring Awareness to Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and Support Walk against Human Trafficking
BROWARD COUNTY – Families deserve to live in communities with resources and information that provide safe and healthy experiences for children. A large body of research indicates that victims of child abuse and neglect are likely to suffer long term problems such as impaired brain development and learning problems, poor physical health, poor mental and emotional health, post-traumatic stress disorder, juvenile delinquency and adult criminality, substance abuse, and repeating the cycle of abusive parenting. In 2013, in Broward County, almost 1500 children were removed from their homes due to abuse and placed in the foster care system.
Many victims of child abuse and neglect are further victimized by being trafficked, often for commercial sexual exploitation.
On Saturday, January 31, 2015 at the Central Broward Regional Park (3700 NW 11th Place, Lauderhill) join Lauderhill City Commissioner Ken Thurston; BSO Central Broward District Chief Capt. Andrew Dunbar; Children’s Services Council President/CEO Cindy Arenberg Seltzer; Broward County Community Partnerships Division Director Mandy Wells;, Plantation Police Department Victim Advocate/Juvenile Counselor Jumorrow Johnson and “Nina”, a human trafficking survivor who will speak of her harrowing experience as we launch “Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children”, in conjunction with “Stop the Traffick”, a walk organized by Fort Lauderdale High School students to raise awareness on human trafficking.
Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children is an awareness campaign that aims to ensure that Broward County families, educators, media, law enforcement and all stakeholders use and share resources that will make it possible to prevent child abuse and neglect and for all children to safely realize their full potential, hopes and dreams.
Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children partners include Children’s Services Council of Broward County, Department of Children and Families, ChildNet, Florida Dept. of Health in Broward County, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Broward County Parks and Recreation, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Healthy Families, Nancy J. Cotterman Center, Broward County Human Trafficking Coalition, HANDY Inc., Marine Industry Cares Foundation, HandsOn Broward, YMCA of Broward County, Guardian ad Litem, Broward County Public Schools, The Starting Place, Children’s Diagnostics and Treatment Center, Swim Central, the SWIMS Foundation, 2-1-1 Broward, ARC Broward, Community Access Center, Mental Health Association, No More Tears and more.
For information on Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children visit www.211-broward.org or call 954-377-1119
For more information on the Children’s Services Council of Broward and its funded programs, visit www.cscbroward.org