IV
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. RES. 284
Expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Child Abuse
Prevention Month.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL1, 2025
Mr. B
ARR(for himself, Mr. WILSONof South Carolina, and Mr. MRVAN) sub-
mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and Workforce
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Child
Abuse Prevention Month.
Whereas children are fundamental to the success of our Na-
tion and will shape the future of the United States;
Whereas elected representatives and leaders in our commu-
nities must be ever vigilant and proactive in support of
evidence-based means to prevent child abuse and support
families;
Whereas adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic
experiences that occur during childhood with lasting long-
term effects and include experiences such as child abuse
and neglect, witnessing violence, or growing up in a
household with a family member with a substance use
disorder;
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•HRES 284 IH
Whereas at least 5 of the top 10 leading causes of death are
associated with ACEs;
Whereas preventing ACEs could reduce many health condi-
tions, including up to 21,000,000 cases of depression,
1,900,000 cases of heart disease, and 2,500,000 cases of
overweight and obesity;
Whereas every child is filled with tremendous promise, and
we all have a collective responsibility to prevent ACEs,
foster the potential of every child, and promote positive
childhood experience;
Whereas preventing child abuse and neglect before they hap-
pen can reduce the costly lifetime economic burden asso-
ciated with child maltreatment;
Whereas investments in primary prevention pay off as studies
show that the total lifetime economic burden associated
with treating the consequences of child maltreatment is
approximately $2,000,000,000,000;
Whereas economic adversity has been observed as an in-
creased risk for potential abuse of children;
Whereas, in 2023, an estimated 7,782,600 children were re-
ferred to child protective services agencies, alleging mal-
treatment;
Whereas, approximately 1 in 7 children in the United States
has experienced child abuse or neglect annually;
Whereas, in 2023, the National Center for Missing and Ex-
ploited Children’s CyberTipline received 36,210,368 re-
ports of suspected online child sexual abuse exploitation,
a 12-percent increase from 2022;
Whereas reports indicate that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys
experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday;
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•HRES 284 IH
Whereas 93 percent of child sexual abuse victims are abused
by a person they know and trust;
Whereas children who are sexually abused, when not provided
appropriate treatment, often suffer from lifelong prob-
lems, such as physical and mental health challenges, and
higher risk of drug and alcohol misuse, and suicide;
Whereas education and awareness of possible signs of child
abuse should be prioritized for purposes of prevention;
Whereas Prevent Child Abuse America has a national net-
work of Chapters and Healthy Families America sites
providing prevention services and family support in our
local districts;
Whereas by intervening to prevent adversity and build resil-
ience during a child’s most critical years of development,
voluntary, evidence-based, home-visiting programs like
Healthy Families America, the signature home-visiting
program of Prevent Child Abuse America, have shown
positive impact on reducing the recurrence of child abuse
and neglect, decreased low-birthweight babies, improved
school readiness for children, and increased high school
graduation rates for parents; and
Whereas Prevent Child Abuse America has a national net-
work of Chapters and Healthy Families America sites
providing prevention services and family support in our
local districts: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1
(1) expresses support for the goals and ideals of 2
National Child Abuse Prevention Month; 3
(2) recognizes child abuse and child sexual 4
abuse is preventable and that a healthy and pros-5
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perous society depends on strong families and com-1
munities; 2
(3) supports efforts to increase the awareness 3
of, and provide education for, the general public of 4
the United States, related to the prevention of child 5
abuse and protective factors for families; 6
(4) supports the efforts to help survivors of 7
childhood sexual abuse heal; 8
(5) supports justice for victims of childhood 9
sexual abuse; and 10
(6) recognizes the need for additional invest-11
ments and Federal legislation for prevention, heal-12
ing, and justice efforts related to childhood abuse 13
and sexual abuse. 14
Æ
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