Groups hold vigil to raise child abuse awareness

10:20 AM CDT on Tuesday, April 5, 2005

By SHELTON GREEN / KVUE News

They fought against Mother Nature to light candles in Woolridge Park Monday, but the fight against child abuse and neglect is what brings them here.

Folks like "J.D.," who said he survived physical and sexual abuse as a child.

"I grew up not trusting anybody, adults friends whatever," he said. "I've had a hard time over the year just getting close to people and developing friendships with people because it was a friend that assaulted me."

J.D. is a member of Bikers Against Child Abuse, one of several advocates for children at the Monday night vigil.

The groups were trying to bring awareness to the problem.

"Predators create predators," J.D. said. "Kids that are abused have a good tendency to grow up abusing."

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Advocates released a report card for Travis County.

The county gets a D-plus when it comes to child care, child health and safety and a decline in the number of children receiving benefits from the children's health insurance program.

Those in the business of protecting children say turning the abuse trend around starts with more people volunteering time and giving money.

"I really implore people to give because I think I know for us particularly we are limited by what we can do for children only by the number of resources we have both human and fiscal," said Sandra Martin of the Center for Child Protection.

J.D added, "I think people need to reach out and understand that this is a problem. You don't have children, it doesn't matter. These children grow up to be the citizens that are running our world and I don't want to live in a world where the majority of kids have been abused."

State lawmakers have said they've already made Texas children a priority this session and will be taking up the issue of health and safety for kids in the next two weeks.