City leaders, local organizations join for child abuse proclamation

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Every year during the month of April, which is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, organizations and government officials gather for a proclamation ceremony that urges an end to child abuse.

Outside of City Hall in downtown Bowling Green on Monday, local officials and community members gathered for the child abuse proclamation.

 During this time, representatives from organizations like the Family Enrichment Center, Hope Harbor and Barren River Area Child Advocacy Center shared their concerns for the rise in child abuse.

 The proclamation reads the community will get involved and work to prevent child abuse from continuing locally.

 The Director of Barren River Area Child Advocacy Center, Jennifer Bryant, said it will take an everyday effort to eliminate child abuse and protect Kentucky’s children.

A recent report showed that Kentucky ranked number one in child abuse incidents in the country.

According to the child maltreatment report from the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Kentucky had 22,410 victims of child abuse in 2017.