Children Don’t Need Perfect Adults…They Need Safe Ones
In my book, I talk about a conversation with a teacher I was close to from grade school and junior high. During the conversation, she said that the teachers had all known that my stepfather was abusive, and that the abuse was extreme. She explained that several of the teachers had gone to the principal about it, wanting to intervene and wanting to help. She further explained that our principal told them all that they would be jeopardizing their jobs, as the schools’ position was that family matters were not the business nor concern of the school or its staff. She apologized for not doing something to help me.
From teachers, to doctors, to church clergy, they were all aware of my stepfather’s volatile temper, and many of them also knew about the extreme abuse and terror he inflicted on those who lived under his roof.
July 21st is National Be Someone Day. The day is a reminder to adults to make a positive difference and report child abuse. They are asked to take a pledge to recognize the signs and report child abuse. They are asked to educate themselves to recognize the signs of abuse, to report it, to donate to children who have faced abuse, and to be involved in their community.
I can’t emphasize enough the importance of reporting child abuse if you, as an adult, are aware of it.
I say it in my book, and I’ll say it again here; the 1980s were a different time, with different mindsets. There was a strong belief that family matters should stay just that. People were busy minding their business but the whispers in rooms with friends often discussed the situations that stayed locked behind closed doors. If a child or adult (usually a woman) shared too much information with someone they trusted, there was a danger that they would go tell the abuser or share the information with someone that would tell the abuser, which of course, would create it’s own set of repercussions. Silence and protecting the family were something the abused began to understand very quickly.
Today we have laws for mandated reporting, teachers, social workers, school personnel, healthcare professionals, and law enforcement, to name a few, are now required to report suspected child abuse. That’s not to say that the system and it’s protections don’t fail - of course they do. No system is perfect, but, the hope is that by putting these safeguards in place fewer children will suffer in silence. Fewer children will be afraid to seek help, and more children will be saved from the compound effects of suffering years of abuse.
In 2025, Child Advocacy Centers provided services (victim advocacy and support) to 365,140 children in the U.S. (National Statistics on Child Abuse - National Children's Alliance). These numbers show the importance of interventions and early reporting.
I would ask that everyone familiarize themselves with what the signs of abuse and neglect are, learn the signs and be willing to make the report. Authorities are trained to investigate and determine the validity of those claims.
I would also ask that everyone consider the importance of BEING SOMEONE that a child can come to, can trust, and who will do whatever is in their power to protect them from those who harm them. For me, I always want to Be Someone that the young, abused child that I was could have gone to and trusted to help and protect her.
For more information on how to get involved please consider visiting some of the sites below:
National CASA/GAL Association for Children - Change a Child's Story™
