Preventing child abuse is a community
responsibility
London, ON – The residents of London and
Middlesex County will soon be seeing transit
shelters, newspaper ads and posters urging them
to report child abuse and neglect. The hard-hitting
public awareness campaign Child Abuse, Suspect
It - Report It, is the result of a partnership with the
Middlesex-London Health Unit, the Children’s Aid
Society of London and Middlesex, Viacom
Outdoor, The London Free Press and Sharpfusion
Communications Canada Inc.
Since October 2002, there have been seven
deaths and one serious injury involving infants
and young children in the London-Middlesex
area. While some of these incidents are still being
investigated, charges of assault against caregivers
have been laid in several cases.
“These deaths have shocked, saddened and
disturbed Londoners and they have raised
questions about local resources and
responses, “says Susan Ralyea, Manager, Healthy
Babies Healthy Children Program, Middlesex-
London Health Unit. Ralyea explains that the
magnitude of these events, unprecedented in
Ontario, served as the catalyst for the campaign
which focuses on community responsibility in the
prevention of child abuse.
“The community plays a significant role in a
multi-pronged approach,” says Ralyea. “The safety
of a child cannot rest solely with one child
protection worker, one public health nurse or one
police officer. The safety of a child also resides
with a neighbour who hears things, a bus driver
who sees things on a daily basis, a relative or a
family friend who doesn’t want to interfere. “
“It is every person’s legal responsibility to
report child abuse and neglect to the CAS,” says
Rhonda Hallberg, Director of Intake Services at the
Children’s Aid Society of London and Middlesex.
She states that “A citizen’s concern and
subsequent report can bring assistance to a family
experiencing difficulties with their children.”
Londoners who suspect child abuse and
neglect should report their concerns by calling 455-
9000. It is not the responsibility of the person
calling to determine whether a child has been
abused or neglected, but rather that they have a
suspicion that abuse or neglect has occurred. It is
the responsibility of the CAS to determine
whether “the child is in need of protection” and the
responsibility of the police to determine whether
criminal charges will be laid.
The community public awareness campaign
could not have been realized without the
generous donations of our three corporate
sponsors. Viacom Outdoor is donating 52 weeks of
space at 15 transit shelters worth a value of
approximately $130,000. The London Free Press
and Sharpfusion Communications Canada are
matching dollars that the Health Unit and
Children’s Aid Society spent on advertising space
and design.
For more information please
contact:
Susan Ralyea, Manager, Healthy Babies
Healthy Children Program
Middlesex-London Health Unit, 663-5317, ext.
2250
Rhonda Hallberg, Director of Intake
Services
Children’s Aid Society of London and Middlesex,
455-9000 ext. 337; if not available contact
Elizabeth Almeida at ext. 475