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Creating Public Awareness

Public awareness is key to helping prevent child abuse and neglect. You have the opportunity to share information with colleagues and the community at large. There are many different ways you can help promote awareness of child abuse and neglect, some of which are listed below.

Public Awareness Activities

Conduct community activities
  • Organize a community-wide event such as a blue ribbon campaign, a family fun night, or a candlelight vigil in remembrance of those who have experienced abuse.
  • Create a campaign around an issue of particular importance to you or your community.
  • Distribute brochures or pamphlets pertaining to child abuse and neglect at events.
Provide information to colleagues and other professionals
  • Create inserts your employer can include with bills or paychecks.
  • Organize a brown bag lunch to inform those you work with about child abuse and neglect issues and brainstorm ideas about how you might work together to help prevent abuse.
  • Ask someone from Prevent Child Abuse Wisconsin or another organization working on issues related to child abuse and neglect to speak to your group.
Contact the media
  • Let newspaper, television, and radio stations know the types of news you want to hear and want other people to hear about.
  • Publicize local facts and statistics about child abuse.
  • Write a letter about child abuse and neglect to the editor of your local newspaper.
  • Submit a press release pertaining to an event or occurrence related to child abuse and neglect.
  • Write an article or suggest that your newspaper write a feature section on some aspect of child abuse and neglect.
  • Provide the media with public service announcements.
  • Inform the media of special events pertaining to child abuse and neglect, such as conferences, family events, fundraisers, ceremonies to celebrate volunteers or people who deserve recognition for their work in prevention, etc.
Support for Public Awareness Activities

At Prevent Child Abuse Wisconsin we have many different resources to help you create public awareness in your workplace and/or community. Below is a list of some resources we have available or would be happy to work with you to create. Call us at 608-256-3374 or email us at: pcaw@cssw.org for more information.
  • Summary of past Beyond the Blue Ribbon campaigns
  • Blue Ribbons for Kids materials, which include sample letters to legislators, letters to the editor, etc. 
  • Directory of groups that are working to prevent child abuse and neglect throughout the state
  • Handouts and brochures (see publications)  
Good Times to Create Public Awareness

Certain times of the year lend themselves especially well to creating public awareness about the prevention of child abuse and neglect. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and also has a week devoted to the 'Week of the Young Child.' Other times of the year that are closely related to the issue of child abuse and neglect, also make for a good time to promote awareness. Examples include: October, which is Domestic Violence Prevention Month; anytime there is legislation that affects families up for vote; or if something happens in your community that is likely to make the public interested in the prevention of child abuse. While these special dates, designated months or current events are important to take advantage of when promoting awareness, it is important to work to keep the issue of child abuse and neglect in the public's attention at all times, as child abuse happens every day of the year.





PREVENT CHILD ABUSE WISCONSINn | 1820 Appleton Road | Menasha, WI 54952
phone 920-996-2210 | fax 920-996-2214 | 1-800-CHILDREN
pcaw@cssw.org