Social Justice Challenge March 2010: Domestic Violence and Child Abuse

I should have had this post up closer to the beginning of the month, but here I am, over half way through March (can you believe that?)  and I am just now getting to it.

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse are subjects that tear me to my very core.  I have been a Kinship Partner for 7 years now.  The Kinship program is a lot like a big brother, big sister program.  You become a mentor to a child and spend time with them weekly doing whatever – watching a movie, going to the park, working on a project, whatever….. you are just to bring the child into your life.  If you follow this blog,, you have probably heard me talk about Chance.  Chance has been our families Kinship Partner since he was 7 years old.  At the end of May he will be 15.

I mention Kinship Partners not because it has to do with the Social Topic for March, but because as a Kinship Partner you are a Mandatory Reporter.  Basically that means that if I see or hear anything unusual – I have to report it to the proper authorities here in my county.  Learning to do this, and learning what it is about, has really opened my eyes to things I do see not only in my own community, but so much of it in Honduras when we are working with kids there.

I find this to be such an important topic that I went a bit wild with the books that were listed at The Social Justice Challenge Website and checked out several that I hope to be able to read and review yet this month:

I hadn’t Meant To Tell You This by Jacqueline Woodson (this one I have read and reviewed)

Because I am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas

Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes Courter

Ghost Girl by Torey Hayden

Another Place At The Table by Kathy Harrison

I Am Missing Or Dead by Janine Latus

I am ending this post with a link I found to 10 Signs of Child Abuse.