SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - On Monday, April 14, the University of Illinois Springfield Child Advocates student organization placed blue pinwheels on the UIS Quad in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
In 2024, 168 children lost their lives due to child abuse. Each pinwheel planted represented one of these lost lives.
Nancy Cano, a UIS student, believes that events like this, though challenging, are crucial for raising awareness about the cause.
“We just try to stop the silence around this issue and we try to break the silence around it. So just making it like a community where it’s okay to talk about these things because they’re hard to talk about,” said Cano.
Emma West, another student at UIS, believes that everyone should advocate for children.
“We were all children at some point. And children need help, they need our help.” said West.
The blue pinwheel is a national symbol for preventing child abuse and neglect. It represents playfulness, joy, and the essence of childhood.
If you suspect that a child is being abused, you can find the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services' website and online reporting form by clicking here.
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