Gulf Coast Kid’s House, a not-for-profit children’s advocacy center serving child victims of abuse, in collaboration with Pensacola branding firm idgroup, has officially launched a new campaign designed to reduce cases of child abuse in Escambia County. The campaign, named “Know Child Abuse,” aims to educate and inform the public on the realities of child abuse, and urges individuals and organizations to take a free, online prevention education training course presented by Gulf Coast Kid’s House. The campaign is a result of the organization receiving idgroup’s eighth annual Brand on Us™ grant.
“There are so many misconceptions about child abuse: what “abuse” actually is, who it affects, and what it means to report suspected abuse,” says Stacey Kostevicki, Executive Director at Gulf Coast Kid’s House. “Debunking the myths and educating the public through the Know Child Abuse campaign is the first step to reduce and prevent child abuse—which currently affects 1 in 10 children in Escambia County.”
Employees and supporters of Gulf Coast Kid’s House say the campaign couldn’t come at a better time. Since July 2020, investigations of child abuse cases have increased by 58%.
The campaign video features familiar faces from the Pensacola community, including Teri Levin, co-owner of Levin Rinke Realty, Lumon May, District 3 County Commissioner, and Josh Sitton, retired NFL player and Superbowl champion.
Visit KnowChildAbuse.org to watch the video, learn more about child abuse myths and facts, and take the free, online prevention education training to learn to recognize the signs and report suspected abuse. People may sign up individually or they can commit their workplace or civic group to complete the training.
To immediately report a case of suspected child abuse, call the abuse hotline at 1-800-96ABUSE.