Every year in Texas, 200,000 children are reported as abused or neglected. The majority of these child abuse cases stem from preventable situations.
In a proclamation before Liberty County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, County Judge Jay Knight cited those statistics and lauded the efforts of groups like the Liberty County Child Welfare Board and Bridgehaven Children’s Advocacy Center in preventing child abuse.
Reading from the proclamation, Knight said, “Child abuse and neglect often occurs in stressful situations without resources or the ability to cope.”
Effective prevention programs succeed because of partnerships between schools, law enforcement agencies, churches and businesses. Together they can create an optimal environment for children, he said.
“As no one person can do everything to prevent these situations from occurring, it is up to everyone to do something to create change for the better,” Knight said.