LAKEPORT >> The county has proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month.
District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott said in 2016 the county responded to 248 sexual assault incidents, including calls to victims, spouses and families. She added that one in six boys and one in four girls will experience sexual assault before the age of 18.
“No one person, organization, agency or community can eliminate sexual assault on their own and the partnership between public and private agencies is invaluable” Scott said.
Sheri Salituri-Young from the Lake Family Resource Center said their response team is able to offer assistance anyone who is assaulted or knows someone who has.
“Sexual Assault does not discriminate, anybody can be raped, anybody can fall victim of this horrific crime,” Salituri-Young said.
On April 26 it is National Denim Day in which Salituri-Young said she encourages everyone to wear denim to build awareness of sexual assault and support their cause.
A 2015 Child Abuse and Neglect Report said 64 percent of children in Lake County experience neglect and 16 percent have suffered physical abuse. Data from a 2016 report has not been finalized. Children between the ages of 0-17 make up 20 percent of the population of Lake County.
District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith said by having communities come together, the county can make better progress on preventing child abuse.
“All citizens should become more aware of the effects of child abuse and its prevention and more supportive of parents raising their children in a safe and nurturing environment,” Smith said.
Jami White from the Lake Family Resource Center said there are over 3.6 million referrals for child abuse each year, which equals having a child abused every 10 seconds.
To help bring support, White said they have a Pinwheel Garden Challenge where they ask people in the community to put pinwheels in their yard to show their support and advocacy against child abuse. They will also be holding their Seventh Annual Child Advocacy Walk on April 22 at Library Park.
“If it wasn’t for all these people, we wouldn’t have the support that we need to help stop child abuse,” White said.
