The rate of children abused in Cortland County was nearly double the state rate in 2019 – 2010, too. Local organizations hope to reduce this through education.
The Cortland County Child Advocacy Center will host an arts and awareness family event from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Homer Center for the Arts, 72 S. Main St.
“This year, we wanted to provide a family event during April’s spring break to bring awareness to Child Abuse Prevention Month,” said Kristen Beard, Cortland Child Advocacy Center coordinator. “April 23rd is wear blue day for New York state, so we are encouraging everyone in attendance to wear blue.”
In 2019, the rate of children aged 17 and under that were abused or maltreated was 38.8 per 1,000 in Cortland County. This is nearly double the state rate of 16.8 per 1,000, show data from a 2021 report by the Cortland County Community Action Program, Inc. It mirrors the rates from 2010, when 40 kids per 1,000 were abused in Cortland and 18.6 per 1,000 in the rest of the state.
The event will highlight youth and safety programs in the county.
“There will be approximately 20 agencies, who provide safety in the community and youth programming, at the event,” Beard said. “The Child Advocacy Center will have a few games with prizes geared towards internet and personal body safety. In addition, the city police department’s canine division will be there, along with Homer Police Department providing fingerprinting, Josie’s Journey’s trained dogs, the Cortland County Health Department’s Car Seat and Bicycle Safety Program, Collin Ward will be performing magic tricks, Center for the Arts will have people in costumes interacting with families and many more.”
The event will also feature a local tasting menu, with food from Good Neighbor Grocery, Plunkett Farms, Hunter & Hilsberg, Trinity Valley Dairy, Cooper Hill Maple and Central City Bar & Grill.
Cortland County Legislator Ron VanDee (D-Cortland), chair of the county’s Health and Human Services Committee, said educating parents and children on the local offerings is invaluable.
“They’re (Child Advocacy Center events) very important, so the public can be aware of everything that’s going on,” VanDee said. “Hopefully that can help prevent things. We’re lucky that we have really good people running that program.”
“Our goal is to provide information about child abuse prevention education and other safety programs offered in the community, while encouraging youth to engage in music, art, gardening, acting, etc. all offered through the Center for the Arts,” Beard said.
