    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 134, 116th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 10002 of March 31, 2020
    National Child Abuse Prevention Month, 2020
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation
    Childhood should be filled with joy, hope, unconditional love, and
    acceptance. Tragically, however, far too many of our Nation's young
    people spend this foundational time of their lives in fear, pain, and
    uncertainty, enduring abuse and neglect that threatens their health and
    well-being. During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we condemn
    this horrific depravity and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to
    protecting our children and strengthening our families.
    Each year, hundreds of thousands of children across our country suffer
    from abuse and neglect, a fact that is both sobering and heart-
    wrenching. In January, I signed an Executive Order to coordinate the
    Federal Government's efforts to prosecute individuals who sexually
    exploit children online, protect and support victims of child
    exploitation, and provide prevention education to raise awareness and
    help lower the incidence of child exploitation. I also signed into law
    legislation to enhance our child welfare systems by supporting at-risk
    families through mental health and substance abuse treatment and
    programs to develop parenting skills.
    With our international partners in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and
    the United Kingdom, the United States developed the Voluntary Principles
    to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. The Voluntary
    Principles establish a baseline framework for companies that provide
    online services to deter use of the internet as a tool for sexually
    exploiting and abusing children. Several major technology companies have
    publicly adopted the principles and more will follow

    [[Page 5221]]

    in the coming months. These companies have a responsibility to prevent their platforms
    from becoming a haven for child predators and to also ensure law
    enforcement is able to investigate and prosecute offenders when children
    have been victimized.
    Child abuse causes the loss of innocence and hope. Loving, devoted, and
    caring families can serve as a bulwark against our children suffering
    from neglect and abuse. Child Welfare Information Gateway, the
    information service of the Department of Health and Human Services'
    Children's Bureau, offers several resources on preventing child abuse
    and promoting healthy families through its National Child Abuse
    Prevention Month website. Familiarizing yourself with the information
    provided by the Department of Health and Human Services can help you
    learn more about what you and your community can do to support children
    and families during this month and throughout the year.

    To eradicate this blight on our society, compassionate and concerned
    Americans must work to effect change and impact young lives. Child
    welfare agencies, clergy members, educators, medical and law enforcement
    professionals, neighbors, friends, and extended family members all
    contribute to protecting and nurturing our Nation's youth. Foster,
    kinship, and adoptive parents open their hearts and their homes to
    children in crisis and empower them to find happiness and achieve their
    dreams. Working together, these forces for good can ensure the welfare
    of children who have experienced the traumas of abuse or neglect and
    give them a promising future.
    The success of our Nation is reflected in our economic and cultural
    prosperity and military might, but our character is revealed by how we
    cherish and protect the weak, innocent, and vulnerable. All children are
    uniquely created in the image of God and gifted with both purpose and
    unlimited potential. We can and must relentlessly protect our children,
    homes, and communities from the scourge of these shameful tragedies and
    support families and communities to ensure that all children have the
    opportunity to reach their potential.
    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 2020 as National
    Child Abuse Prevention Month. I call upon all Americans to invest in the
    lives of our Nation's children, to be aware of their safety and well-
    being, and to support efforts that promote their psychological,
    physical, and emotional development.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of
    March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
    fourth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP