LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The pinwheels on Nicholasville Road near the New Circle ramp were placed there to serve as a reminder of the 1,400 children who faced some form of abuse or neglect over the last 12 months. The hope is, that those pinwheels will also help start the conversation at home.
“If at least one person has had a conversation with their child about the importance of body safety and body awareness,” Jill Seyfred said of her goal for this month.
April is child abuse prevention month across the nation. Seyfred is the executive director of “Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky,” a non-profit organization that works to raise awareness about the problem. Nearly 39,000 Kentucky children were considered to have met the criteria for abuse in 2021. And that can be an abuse of any kind ranging from, sexual to emotional and verbal.
“I grew up in an age when my parents didn’t talk to me about that. It’s hard for parents,” she said of having those difficult conversations with young people.
But it was a young person, who was here for today’s press event, that probably summed it up best.
“Let me be clear: It’s not our job as kids to prevent child abuse, it’s your job as adults.”
That message came from Charlotte Box-Lacy. Charlotte isn’t a victim but knows too many. That’s why she was here.
Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky has found several partners for this month’s campaign, as several small business owners inside Lexington’s Greyline Station will be offering up to 15% of their April proceeds to help the cause. Wes Hogan at North Bar even made a special drink he’ll be serving this month called, the Pinwheel. It contains Tito’s vodka, among other things, and Tito’s will be offering $1 for every Pinwheel sold this month.
Mrs. Seyfred knows they can’t accomplish much without the generosity of others, but in reality, that can only go so far. The battle really has to begin at home.
“If we don’t speak up on behalf of the kids, who will? If one person takes one step then that amounts to thousands of steps in our state that will incrementally move us forward,” she said.
