Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Month of the Military Child

1. APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION
MONTH AND THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD. TO BRING TOGETHER THESE
IMPORTANT EVENTS, HQMC THEME IS "HELPING CHILDREN FEEL SAFE IN
UNCERTAIN TIMES." TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN SETTING ASIDE THE MONTH TO
RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND PERSONAL SACRIFICES OUR CHILDREN
MAKE TO OUR CORPS AND TO RAISE THE AWARENESS FOR THE PREVENTION OF
CHILD ABUSE. THIS MARADMIN STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF ACTIVITIES ON
BOARD INSTALLATIONS AND WITHIN UNITS THAT CREATIVELY FOCUS EFFORTS
TO END THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AND DEVELOP PROGRAMS
THAT ENRICH THEM. THE SUPPORT OF COMMANDING OFFICERS, INSTALLATION
COMMANDERS, AND OFFICERS IN CHARGE AS WELL AS THE PARTICIPATION OF
ALL MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THOSE
EFFORTS.
2. IN CELEBRATION OF THIS SPECIAL MONTH, COMMANDERS SHOULD PLAN 
EVENTS TO RECOGNIZE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FUTURE - OUR CHILDREN. 
THE EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE CAN LAST A LIFETIME. CHILDREN WHO ARE
ABUSED ARE MORE LIKELY TO BECOME ADULTS WHO ABUSE. IN 2002 THERE
WERE 714 SUBSTANTIATED CASES OF CHILD ABUSE IN THE MARINE CORPS. 
THIS IS THE LOWEST NUMBER OF SUBSTANTIATED CASES IN FIVE YEARS,
WHICH DEMONSTRATES THAT OUR PREVENTION EFFORTS ARE HELPING TO REDUCE
CHILD MALTREATMENT. CHILD ABUSE AFFECTS THE WHOLE MARINE COMMUNITY,
AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. THEREFORE
COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO:
A. SUPPORT COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE PREVENTION EFFORTS
BETWEEN PARENTS, LOCAL AGENCIES, AND MARINE SERVICE PROVIDERS (E.G.,
NEW PARENT SUPPORT PROGRAM, PERSONAL SERVICES DIVISIONS, CHILD
DEVELOPMENT CENTERS).
B. INCREASE VISIBILITY AND SUPPORT OF MCCS PREVENTION EFFORTS TO 
INCLUDE THE NEW PARENT SUPPORT TEAM PROGRAMS, BABY BOOT CAMP, PLAY 
MORNING, PARENTING CLASSES, AND SINGLE PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS.
C. RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT MCCS ONE SOURCE AS A RESOURCE FOR PARENTS
IN NEED OF INFORMATION AND REFERRALS ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE
WELFARE OF THEIR CHILDREN.
3. KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE AND DEVELOPING APPROPRIATELY IS EVERYONE'S
RESPONSIBILITY. FOCUS ON CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND THE CHALLENGES
FACED BY MILITARY CHILDREN IS NOT JUST FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL, BUT
SHOULD BE A YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITY. SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND DEVELOP
INITIATIVES THAT WILL BENEFIT MILITARY CHILDREN NOW AND IN THE
FUTURE.