Familias Capaz to hold child abuse prevention symposium
By The Star Staff
Faced with the alarming rate of child abuse, the organization Familias Capaz will hold its third symposium, “I Sign Up … Against Child Abuse,” on Friday, May 19 in virtual format.
“It’s up to all of us to prevent child abuse,” said Dr. Aysha Concepción Lizardi, executive director of Familias Capaces. “We need to empower ourselves to identify what constitutes abuse and how to report it.”
“We invite all people, the general public and professionals in education, social work, physical and mental health, among others, to participate in this symposium to prevent violence against children, a responsibility that we all have as citizens,” she added.
According to 2022 statistics, nine out of 10 abused children in the United States and Puerto Rico were abused by one or both biological parents. In addition, 80 percent of child deaths involved at least one parent.
This year’s symposium will also discuss the need to develop interprofessional efforts and collaborations for the prevention of child maltreatment. Familias Capaz is a nongovernmental organization that, since 2001, has provided psychological services and support to families in situations of vulnerability and risk of child abuse.