Advocacy Essay Greg Abbott, attorney general of Texas, said, Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy

and safe, and we should have no greater responsibility than the protection of our children against abuse and victimization. Despite this noble cause, it will be an obstinate battle as child abuse is a worldwide phenomenon. The UN World Report on Violence Against Children states that violence against children can lead to them losing trust in other humans, a lesser capacity of love, empathy, and relationships, and stunt the potential for personal development and achievement in life. No child should suffer through such consequences for actions they did not commit. It is only through education and breaking of an abusive cycle that this can end. A recent study by the UN suggested that 80-93% of children suffer physical punishments in their homes. This is not isolated to developing countries though; in twenty-one developed countries, 36% of women and 29% of men reported being sexually victimized as children (Study Reveals Global Child Abuse). The UN World Report on Violence Against Children states that 90% of children face humiliating corporal punishment as the most common type of discipline in Yemen. However in industrialized countries like the United States, the largest portion of child mistreatment is neglect. In 2004, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services received over 200,000 reports of suspected child abuse or neglect, though many of them went unproven. Here in Austin a visionary has risen to the occasion to support those in need of help. Kelly White, CEO of the Austin Childrens Shelter (ACS) since 2010 has made it her mission to battle abuse in the Austin area by providing a safe place for children to heal, physically and emotionally, from the scars of their past. When interviewed, Ms. White let it be known she believed that every one of these kids deserves better than what they have had. They deserve to be loved. As powerful as that is, many children come to ACS without much hope. Children learn through observation, and many of them have not witnessed healthy familial relationships. In order to break this cycle, ACS has regular therapy and stresses the importance of positive coping skills and responsible decision-making. Abuse is something that will only change when patterns and customs are changed. When asked what the best way to help someone who has been abused is, Ms. White said, First and foremost always make sure they are safe. Help them to know they are deserving of all the best that life has to offer and then start helping them discover how to achieve their dreams. We dont help anyone by solving all of their problems for them and giving them all they want. We need to help them learn how to make it in life. The Austin Childrens Shelter is doing a valiant job creating an environment for children to start the road to recovery on. There are many lives that have benefited due to this foundation and its employees. Our group made an excursion to the Austin Childrens Shelter in order to discover how we could best assist their occupants. Though we were not allowed to interact with the children for confidentiality reasons, this was still a powerful experience. The children housed at ACS have gone through tremendous suffering, but upon being there, that is not what strikes one first. The story of Pandoras Box is the Greek myth explaining how all the evils and sins of the world released, but after all that darkness flooded out, there it lay, shining in the dust as the sun through clouds, the light that inspires: hope. The Austin Childrens Shelter had a positive energy, it is a

place of healing, of hope, of progress. In the midst of the heartbreak and rebuilding are children who more than anything want to have the normal they see in others. After meeting with Janis Gernert, Director of Community Relations, it became clear that something those at the shelter lack are possessions of their own. Many children have been bounced from one foster family to another, and having nothing to call theirs. Despite the larger worries these kids face, most children just want to fit in, and though it seems inconsequential in the greater scheme of things, some believe that if they just have that cute backpack or the right jeans they will feel more a part of something at school. Mrs. Gernert told us this with such clarity that it soon holding a clothing drive became our way to assist these children. By holding drives at multiple schools across Austin, we attempted to meet the needs of all age groups at the shelter. There are occupants from newborns up to twenty-one years of age in various programs. This drive did not put an end to child abuse, which would have been a much greater feat, but it helped improve the conditions for several children at the shelter. Perhaps the greatest impact came from the realization that someone I sit in class with may, in fact, live at the Austin Childrens Shelter. Mrs. Gernert hit home when she revealed that often those who put on a front or close themselves off from others are those in most need of assistance; a kind word or someone to listen. Everyone has their scars, their sadness, their pain, but every child should have the opportunity to flourish in a loving, stable environment. It is unrealistic to aim for no child to suffer, but to aim for no child to suffer from abuse that is a worthy goal.

Citations

"Study Reveals Global Child Abuse." BBC News - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2012. <http:// news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6042112.stm "United-Nation's Secretary General's Study." Violence Against Children. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. <http://www.unviolencestudy.org/>. White, Kelly. Personal Interview. 7 March. 2012.