Bivona Recognizes April as Child Abuse Prevention Month

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK- April 5, 2011

Throughout the month of April, Bivona Child Advocacy Center is joining National Children’s Alliance and its thousands of members and supporters across the country to bring much needed attention to the issues of child abuse intervention and prevention. Child abuse is a silent epidemic, one that most people would like to think happens in some other neighborhood, to some other family, to some other child.

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Bivona Child Advocacy Center, along with National Children’s Alliance and hundreds of organizations like it throughout the country, are calling on communities to speak up for abused children and act on their behalf to prevent further tragedy. As a supporter and member of the Children’s Advocacy Center movement, Bivona Child Advocacy Center recognizes the importance of awareness-raising and community education surrounding the subject of child abuse, particularly child sexual abuse.

Beginning in April, Bivona is leading a movement in Greater Rochester to help end the secrecy and shame of child sexual abuse. Among the many activities planned for the month, Bivona’s main focus is its “Stand UP for Kids” campaign, through which community members are encouraged to visit www.SexAbuseStandUP.com to take a pledge and show their support for our community’s children and learn more about abuse, including warning signs and what to do if abuse is suspected. Listed on the website, are quotes from community leaders sharing why they support the Stand UP for Kids pledge, including County Executive Maggie Brooks, Monroe County District Attorney Mike Green, Rochester Police Department Chief James M. Sheppard, and Monroe County Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn.

Additionally, Bivona Child Advocacy Center will host a press conference on Tuesday, April 12th at 10:30 a.m. (275 Lake Avenue, Rochester, NY 14608) where County Executive Maggie Brooks will present a proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Monroe County. The press conference will also include representatives from Bivona’s 21 partner agencies, where each one will formally sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), a document which speaks directly to the operating guidelines for conducting the investigation, evaluation and treatment of child abuse. The signing demonstrates the community’s commitment to collaborate with Bivona Child Advocacy Center’s multidisciplinary team, coordinating services such that children receive the best standard of care, ultimately allowing them to begin their journey of healing.

Bivona Child Advocacy Center is our community’s resource for child sexual abuse. I am hopeful we can get to a point in our society where can openly talk about child sexual abuse, so that it’s no longer a ‘dirty little secret,’” said Mary Whittier, Bivona Child Advocacy Center Executive Director, “I urge our community to become educated on this important issue, including how to recognize the warning signs and what to do if you suspect a child is being abused. Together, we can become the voice for so many children that have been silent for so long, ensuring they get the help and services they need to put them on the path to healing.”

• Every six minutes in our country a child is sexually abused. 240 children. Every day.

• Nearly five children die each day as a result of abuse or neglect.

• Bivona Child Advocacy Center has evaluated more than 6,500 children since opening August 1, 2004 – the equivalent of 141 school busses full of children.

• In 2010 alone, Bivona evaluated more than 1,500 children, providing 3,800+ services.

• In 2010, 63% of the children evaluated were female, 43% of all children were under the age of seven and 45% of all children were Caucasian.

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About Bivona Child Advocacy Center

Bivona Child Advocacy Center, a non-profit organization, is a safe, welcoming place where children who have been sexually or physically abused can begin their journey to recovery. Bivona staff facilitate an under-one-roof collaboration of social and legal agencies to protect, treat and counsel child victims and their families, and to investigate and prosecute the abusers. Bivona provides a compassionate, efficient, cost-effective infrastructure for child abuse intervention.

Bivona Child Advocacy Center is the only agency in the Greater Rochester community to provide these services. More than 1,000 children are helped at Bivona each year. Although Bivona receives some government funding, the majority of its support comes from donors. Bivona Child Advocacy Center is an accredited member of the National Children’s Alliance (nca-online.org). The Bivona Child Advocacy Center has quickly become a resource to the community for all issues related to child sexual abuse. For more information, please visit www.BivonaCAC.org. 

Bivona has formal partnerships with the following agencies to provide services to abused children and their families. Their partners and a team approach make it possible.

• Monroe County Child Protective Services

• Law Enforcement - all 12 jurisdictions

• Monroe County District Attorney’s Office

• REACH Program of Golisano Children’s Hospital

• Rape Crisis Service

• Linden Oaks Sexual Abuse Treatment Services

• Catholic Family Center 

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