Hands Around the Courthouse in Geneva raises child abuse awareness

CASA Kane County honored Child Abuse Prevention Month Thursday with its annual Hands Around the Courthouse event at the Third Street courthouse in Geneva.

Kane County Chief Judge Susan Clancy Boles, juvenile division Judge Clint Hull and Gloria Bunce, executive director of CASA Kane County spoke at the event. After the program, participants joined hands for a moment of silence acknowledging local victims of child abuse and neglect.

The Court Appointed Special Advocate group hosts a variety of community awareness activities to draw attention to child abuse. Throughout the month, CASA Kane County also draws awareness to this issue by displaying blue pinwheels on the courthouse lawn, representing every child the organization served in the previous year. Last year, 608 children were victims of abuse or neglect, were removed from their homes and entered the child welfare system. Last year there were 4,200 investigated cases of abuse or neglect in Kane County. CASA's goal is to prevent abuse before it occurs and to protect children who have been in an abusive situation.

CASA Kane County has developed an informational tool kit in collaboration with the Kane County state's attorney's office and the Kane County Regional Office of Education that is meant for mandated reporters of abuse. The information is available at casakanecounty.org.