R 196 |
2019 -- H 5961 Enacted 04/04/2019 |
H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
COMMEMORATING APRIL, 2019, AS "CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives Roberts, Chippendale, Nardone, Quattrocchi, and Filippi |
Date Introduced: April 04, 2019 |
WHEREAS, Anyone who does anything to help a child in need is a hero; and |
WHEREAS, Annually, the month of April is designated as National Child Abuse |
Prevention Month in order to "recognize the importance of families and communities working |
together to prevent child abuse and neglect and promotes the social and emotional well-being of |
children and families"; and |
WHEREAS, Child abuse includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Child neglect is |
defined as emotional, educational, physical, and medical neglect, as well as a failure to provide |
for basic needs; and |
WHEREAS, Children are the most vulnerable among us and everything that can be done |
must be done to ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect, and have the opportunity to |
pursue their dreams in secure and healthy environments; and |
WHEREAS, Every child deserves to be loved, nurtured, and safe. Parents, family |
members, teachers, and other caregivers profoundly shape children's lives and it is essential that |
they be the child's first line of defense; and |
WHEREAS, According to RI KIDS COUNT, in 2017 in Rhode Island, there were 2,404 |
indicated investigations of child abuse and neglect involving 3,357 children; and |
WHEREAS, About 52 percent of the victims of child abuse and neglect in 2017 were |
young children under age six and 34 percent were ages three and younger; and |
WHEREAS, In the words of author and survivor Dave Pelzer, "Childhood should be |
carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul"; now, therefore be |
it |
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and |
Providence Plantations hereby commemorates April, 2019, as "Child Abuse Prevention Month" |
and urges all Rhode Islanders to support efforts that promote children's psychological, physical, |
and emotional development; and be it further |
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Gina Raimondo, Governor of the |
State of Rhode Island, and the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and |
Families. |
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LC002375 |
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