Children's Safe Harbor Raises Awareness of Local Child Abuse and Prevention Through Pinwheel Display

THE WOODLANDS, TX — 2,322 pinwheels have been placed outside of Kroger in Montgomery at the intersection of FM 1488 and FM 2978. Each pinwheel represents a child who was served by Children’s Safe Harbor in 2020 for sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, human trafficking, and trauma. 2,322 children.

Installed at 7:45 a.m., Thursday, April 22, the display will remain up until 5 p.m. The hope is that this striking visual will have an impact on all who see it, and force them to confront the uncomfortable truth: that this abuse takes place in our own community.

“People don’t want to talk about the abuse of children, sexually, physically, mentally, and it happens here,” said Paul Purcell, Secretary Executive Director of Montgomery County Medical Society and Secretary of the Board of Directors at Children's Safe Harbor.

“It’s a very uncomfortable topic, but it’s something we have to talk about,” he said. “We have to deal with it.”

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In 2019, Montgomery, San Jacinto and Walker counties offered initial services to over 2,615 children ages 2-17, an increase of 17% over the previous year. Across all three counties, a total of 6,843 statewide intake reports were reviewed to streamline child abuse investigations.
- childrenssafeharbor.org
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Children’s Safe Harbor works to end child sexual abuse and trauma.
They do so by:
• Conducting forensic interviews of children ages 2 to 17, as well as adults with intellectual disabilities.
• Providing support and advocacy for victims and their non-offending caregivers to help reduce trauma for children and families.
• Providing mental health services for non-offending family members including screening, assessment, and treatment on-site or by referral.
• Conducting medical evaluations for victims. An accurate history is essential in making the medical diagnosis and determining appropriate treatment of child abuse.

Their Mission Statement:
'Some believe an abused child is broken forever. We know otherwise. Children who get proper investigative services and counseling can heal and go on to lead healthy, whole lives. Join us in the journey to end child abuse and trauma. We know the way and we have the solution.'

Find more information at childrenssafeharbor.org
Click here to donate

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