In a proclamation declaring April to be National Child Abuse Prevention Month, President Donald J. Trump included the unborn, saying that all children are “blessings” who have been “endowed from conception with value, purpose, and human dignity.”

The proclamation, issued on March 29, declares the month of April to be dedicated to preventing child abuse.

“We must always remember that all children are blessings from our Creator. They are endowed from conception with value, purpose, and human dignity. They are a source of unmatched joy, and they represent our Nation’s future. It is thus our civic and moral responsibility to help every child experience a childhood free from abuse and mistreatment, guiding them toward a future full of hope and promise,” the proclamation reads.

However, National Child Abuse Prevention Month is a reminder that not every home is a haven of acceptance and unconditional love.

“Too often, childhood is marred with pain, violence, neglect, and abuse, which can have lifelong psychological, emotional, and physical consequences," the document continues. "At no fault of their own, some children are subjected to the most depraved forms of child abuse and neglect, without reprieve and, sometimes, without any knowledge that they are being maltreated.”

It goes on to cite the shocking statistics: a quarter of all children experience some form of child abuse or neglect in their lifetime.

“The financial consequences of this depravity are dire. By some estimates, the lifetime cost of child abuse and neglect is $124 billion per year. The human cost — measured in lost development, potential, and flourishing — is incalculable.”

But it doesn’t have to be this way. “When supported by encouraging families and safe, strong communities, all children have the chance to reach their full potential and access the unlimited opportunities that our great Nation has to offer. To realize this truth, we must dedicate ourselves to the noble cause of protecting and caring for our children.”

The proclamation asks 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.”

Child abuse comes in a variety of forms from sexual and physical abuse to neglect and abandonment. During this month, we should all familiarize ourselves with the signs of  abuse such as abrupt changes in a child’s behavior, has not received help for physical or medical problems even after being brought to a parent’s attention, frequently begs for or steals food, is consistently dirty and unkempt, is overly compliant or withdrawn, doesn’t want to go home after school, displays unusual sexual knowledge that is not age appropriate, etc.

Those organizations that provide care for abused children are given special praise in the proclamation. “This month, we honor the professionals, volunteers, and organizations who work tirelessly to protect at-risk children and care for those who have experienced abuse or neglect. This difficult work is critical to ensuring the safety and protection of our children, to strengthening our communities, and to stopping cycles of violence harm.”

Special gratitude is given to foster and adoptive parents who open their lives to children in need of loving and caring homes.

Even though there are no substitutes for caring parents and guardians, “we recognize that friends, neighbors, educators, and places of worship have important roles to play in fostering the well-being of children," the document states.

“We can and should continue to work together to help provide healthy, happy, and safe environments for all children.”

The pro-life group, Operation Rescue, praised the proclamation for including the innocent unborn among the ranks of the abused.

“Abortion is the ultimate child abuse, and Pres. Trump appears to agree with that in his statement about children from conception having value, purpose, and human dignity,” Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said. “The brutal dismemberment of babies during abortions, along with other barbaric methods of killing used to abort babies, are completely inconsistent with Trump’s child abuse prevention proclamation.”

“Child abuse is a horrendous problem in our nation, which has been worsened by the callous practice of abortion,” Newman added. “When one can kill a baby for any reason prior to birth, it devalues the lives of all children.”

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