[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9582 of March 31, 2017

National Child Abuse Prevention Month, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Childhood is precious. Growing up in a loving home, with a nurturing
family, surrounded by a safe community gives our children the best

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opportunity to realize their full potential. Sadly, mistreatment by
parents, guardians, relatives, or caregivers all too often threatens
children's ability to flourish. Abuse or neglect can rob children of
their sense of dignity and worth, which are indispensable to the pursuit
of happiness and success in the classroom, in the workplace, and in
relationships. Children rightfully impose a moral obligation on adults,
who must protect them from harm and preserve their opportunity to reach
their full potential and achieve their dreams. They deserve nothing
less. The dreams of our children are the future of this country.
As we observe National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we renew our
commitment to stop child abuse before it begins. That means preventing
destructive conduct from shattering the secure and protective
environments in which our children deserve to live, learn, and thrive.
We must all be aware of the signs of child maltreatment and take
appropriate steps to safeguard children by reporting concerns and
connecting families with the help they may need.
The family is society's most important institution, and its impact on
human potential is unmatched by any other influence that government,
education, or even community can wield. We must promote strong families.
By respecting and supporting parents, we will reduce risks and increase
the safety and protection critical to our children's happiness and
success. The best child abuse prevention program is a strong family with
well-equipped, mature, and child-focused parents. We therefore celebrate
the many community members who help parents fulfill their moral
obligations by providing them a needed shoulder to lean on in troubled
times.
We also honor foster and adoptive parents, child protective workers,
faith leaders, community mentors, teachers, and law enforcement
officials, whose tireless work every day protects children who have been
tragically abused or neglected. Their often thankless service in these
difficult and painful situations helps restore the safety and dignity of
these wounded children and, in many cases, dramatically improves the
course of their precious lives. As a Nation, we pledge to honor our
commitment to protecting the vulnerable among us, not just this month,
but every day of the year.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2017 as National
Child Abuse Prevention Month. I call upon all Americans to be alert to
the safety and well-being of children and to support efforts that
promote their physical, emotional, and developmental health.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of
March, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.
DONALD J. TRUMP