National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Olver North - Past and Present
*Trigger warning -discussion of child abuse, neglect, and maltreatment
April is associated with many things, including Autism Acceptance and Sexual Abuse Awareness Month. Speaking lightly, it’s a lot to unpack. But April is also National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month. The World Health Organization (WHO) “defines child abuse and child maltreatment as "all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.”
For nearly a decade, Oliver North has provided his expertise. His initiatives have centered around his experience with child maltreatment, particularly in the realm of neglect and homelessness due to being a child of parents who struggled with drug addiction—going from five foster homes before the age of 6 to Experiencing Homelessness after his apartment burned down. Being an unaccompanied youth during his high school years is a topic that is near and dear to our organization. While his experiences have built the framework of what Only Thoughts of Ownership are today, these are not experiences, circumstances, or feelings that we want children to experience. Oliver, whose birthday is also in April, does what he can, whether through the OK2D tour, BVO-YOU, or The Passion Tape, to advocate for children who go through, unbeknownst to many people, not just poverty and adversity but abuse.
While we do what we can to support the children who usually go unheard, even in the protective services provided, the schools they attend, and the foster homes they live in, we understand the goal is always PREVENTION. Whether through parenting classes, conversations like D4C, mentoring, etc. PREVENTION is the goal.
So as we remind you that the children we try to protect become adults-we no longer want Oliver or children like him to have to be the exceptions.
Children deserve more than attempts at prevention. We as a collective must do our best to provide advocacy services not by position or title but by standard.
Reminisce when you came out the womb. Tears of joy I think filled up the room. You are now the reason that I fight. - J. Cole
*Please review this Child Protective Resource Guide for National data https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/preventionmonth/resources/resource-guide/