Did you know most child abuse victims know their abusers? 

Or that people who abuse children aren’t some monsters in the dark — they probably look just like anyone else you might see on your daily commute.

And did you also know that most child victims never report the abuse and live their lives silent about what happened to them?

These are things child protection officials want all American to know so that if they see something, they’ll tell someone — and might end up saving a child’s life.

Enter in pinwheels — fun, spring-like delights that turn with the wind. You might notice blue ones when you are driving around town: These pinwheels serve as a visual reminder that everyone in a community must work together to end child abuse.

Canopy Children’s Solutions (Canopy), Mississippi’s largest nonprofit provider of behavioral health, educational and social service solutions, is planting blue pinwheel gardens this April to promote Child Abuse Awareness Month. 

As described by Prevent Child Abuse America, “the whole idea behind the pinwheel is to ‘re-frame’ child abuse prevention by abandoning the bruises represented by the blue ribbon and replacing it with the colorful image of carefree children playing with pinwheels. This re-framing is based on extensive research showing that the majority of people see child abuse prevention as a national priority, but cringe at the stark pictures and stories of child victims. Instead, community members want to know what they can do to help prevent abuse and neglect from happening in the first place.”

Canopy’s South Mississippi Child Advocacy Center (SMCAC) collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to streamline the process of identifying, investigating and prosecuting cases of child abuse. 

By working with law enforcement, Child Protection Services, mental or medical health professionals, and many other organizations, Canopy provides a wide range of services to help children and their families overcome extraordinary challenges and to thrive.

“In order for children to have the trauma that they experienced resolved, they need people like Canopy’s South Mississippi Child Advocacy team to help them along the way,” says Sabreniee Wright, director of Canopy’s SMCAC. “There is hope when children have access to therapeutic resources and can begin healing.”

This April, Canopy encourages everyone to do their part in protecting children. Mississippi’s 24-hour child abuse hotline (1-800-222-8000) allows any person who suspects a child is being abused to file an anonymous report. If you see something, say something. 

The physical, mental and emotional well-being of abused children relies on adults who will advocate for their safety and healing.

Wright continues, “Our team goes above and beyond every day to make sure children and their families are getting the justice they deserve. Helping children is a passion.”

Canopy Children’s Solutions is Mississippi’s largest and most comprehensive nonprofit provider of children’s behavioral health, educational and social service solutions. Founded in 1912, Canopy offers a full array of integrated, community-based services in all 82 counties as well as intensive campus-based and educational programming.

For more information on Canopy Children’s Solutions, visit mycanopy.org.