April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

In 2008 Prevent Child Abuse America introduced the pinwheel as the new national symbol for child abuse prevention. The whole idea behind the pinwheel is to “re-frame” child abuse prevention by abandoning the bruises represented by the blue ribbon and replacing it with the colorful image of carefree children playing with pinwheels. This re-framing is based on extensive research showing that the majority of people see child abuse prevention as a national priority but cringe at the stark pictures and stories of child victims. Instead, community members want to know what they can do to help prevent abuse and neglect from happening in the first place.

By its very nature, the pinwheel connotes playfulness, joy, and childhood. It has come to serve as a physical reminder of the great childhoods we want for all children. As a symbol, the cyclical nature of the pinwheel calls to mind the positive cycles of love and support we want to help families create.

As a campaign symbol, a pinwheel conveys the message that every child deserves the chance to be raised in a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment. It also represents effort to change the way our nation things about prevention by focusing on community activities and public policies that prioritize prevention to make sure child abuse and neglect never occurs. Over a million pinwheels have been displayed since April 2008.