Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia
Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia
By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:
Child Abuse Prevention Month
WHEREAS, children are the foundation of a sustainable and prosperous society, and our welfare as a Commonwealth and a nation is built on a foundation of safe and healthy child development; and
WHEREAS, child abuse is among our nation’s foremost public health issues, with studies revealing a direct link between the abuse and neglect of children and long-term psychological, emotional, and physical effects, often with lifelong consequences for victims of abuse; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Social Services reports that child abuse affects more than 120,000 families each year in the Commonwealth as documented by local departments of social services; and
WHEREAS, every child is entitled to love and care in a safe and nurturing environment free from abuse and neglect with access to the support and educational opportunities needed to help them grow and thrive; and
WHEREAS, creating communities where Virginia’s families are supported and strengthened through meaningful partnerships between schools, professional health services, community and faith-based organizations, businesses and law enforcement can prevent child abuse and neglect; and
WHEREAS, April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time for Virginians and Americans to be reminded of the courage it takes to raise a child and the demands and responsibilities of parents in rearing children; and
WHEREAS, we must work together as a Commonwealth to increase awareness about child abuse and neglect while creating safe and healthy environments for children to live with supportive families and engaged communities;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize April 2023, as CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.