LYNCHBURG, Va. – Community organizations in Lynchburg joined together to mark Child Abuse Prevention Month with a pinwheel planting meant to put a visual number to how many children are affected locally.
Elizabeth Romano, a family support specialist for Healthy Families, said child abuse is often harder to identify than people realize.
“I think child abuse is something that’s under-reported because it’s something that can be really hard to prove. If it’s something emotional or sexual, a lot of times abuse can look like neglect,” Romano said.
The display was meant to remind neighbors that prevention starts before crisis — by spotting warning signs, reporting concerns and connecting families with help early.
Kelli Diaz, recruitment and development director with CASA of Central Virginia, shared sobering numbers about the scope of the problem.
“We know that every 81 minutes in the state of Virginia, a child is abused and that is really something that is hard to think about. Last year, just in the city of Lynchburg, we had 187 founded cases of child abuse and neglect,” Diaz said.
A “founded case” means Child Protective Services determined the case is more likely than not abuse or neglect.
Mickey Melunis, family engagement coordinator at Five18, said families are not looking for grand gestures — just community.
“Families really are looking for the community to stand up and support, to show up for one another. They’re looking for resources, they’re looking for neighbor, they’re looking for connection,” Melunis said.
Anyone with immediate concerns should contact Child Protective Services. Organizers also offered three simple steps neighbors can take: notice behavior changes, ask gently and report what you saw.