Campus Asked to Show Support for Child Abuse Prevention

University of Missouri-Kansas City students, staff and faculty are asked to wear blue April 19 in support of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

MuMu, the local chapter of the criminal justice honor society Alpha Phi Sigma at UMKC, has partnered with the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA) to bring attention to the prevention of child abuse. Nationally, more than 2 million reports of abuse and neglect are made each year; and more than 1,500 children die from their injuries. Missouri has one of the highest child abuse mortality rates in the nation.

CAPA, headquartered in Independence, teaches personal safety skills to elementary-school children, provides counseling to children and adult survivors of abuse and conducts children’s art therapy, among other services.

On April 19, MuMu members at UMKC will take pictures of people on campus wearing blue and send them to the national headquarters of Alpha Phi Sigma to document the dedication of the organization and UMKC.

“We know that blue is one of the official colors of UMKC, and this would be a great way to show our support for the prevention of child abuse as well as our pride in our university,” said Scott Finley, president of MuMu and a graduate student in the Criminal Justice and Criminology program.