Charleston Designated A 2021 'Pinwheel City'

If you have noticed blue pinwheels around town, don't be confused. They are a symbol for National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which takes place every April. And this year, according to Mayor John Tecklenburg, Charleston has been designated as a "2021 Pinwheel City."

The move to designate Charleston as a pinwheel city centers around awareness and encouraging adults to talk to their children about safety, according to Live 5 News. Dr. Carole Swiecicki, executive director of Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, spoke about the importance of having "tough" conversations about boundaries and who to tell if someone crosses that boundary.

"We know that even though one in eight children are experiencing abuse, seven of eight will not be abused this year and we want to focus on preventing abuse from happening to children so next year it's fewer children," she said.

According to South Carolina Children's Trust CEO Sue Williams, more than 16,000 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported in the state last year. With more people at home for longer periods of time, the pandemic seems to have had an impact on her work.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need to overhaul the current system into a twenty-first century, well-being system approach where families seeking help are seen as showing strength and resiliency instead of stigmatized or portrayed negatively."

For more resources, including noticing the signs of abuse as well as how to report, visit the Children's Trust of South Carolina website here.

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