Date:    March 29, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To:            Assignment Editors/News Directors

From:            Michelle Mazzei, Assoc. Director of Communications, The National Exchange Club,
419/535-3232, 800/924-2643, e-mail:
commun@nationalexchangeclub.org

Don’t be fooled…child abuse is everywhere

The National Exchange Club is sponsoring an Awareness-Raising Event about child abuse prevention featuring Tony Comes. Comes is the subject of the Academy Award nominated documentary Twist of Faith which chronicles his personal experience as a survivor of child abuse. This event will be held April 1, 2005 at The Toledo Club from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Comes will speak about one of the many faces of child abuse. This special event marks the start of Child Abuse Prevention Month, aimed to raise awareness about the prevalence of child abuse in America.

FACT: Each day in the United States, more than 3 children die as a result of child abuse in the home.

FACT: More children (age four and younger) die from child abuse and neglect than any other single, leading cause of death for infants and young children. 

FACT: Child abuse is reported—on average—every 10 seconds.

FACT: Nationally, an estimated 903,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect in 2001.  

FACT: Childhood abuse and neglect increases the odds of arrest as a juvenile by 59%, arrest as an adult by 28% and arrest for a violent crime by 30%. 

FACT: Nine in 10 Americans polled regard child abuse as a serious problem, yet only 1 in 3 reported abuse when confronted with an actual situation.

 

When: April 1, 2005, 5:30 p.m. – Program, 6:30 p.m. – Reception, Press Conference,

Where: The Toledo Club, 235 14th St., Toledo, OH 43624

Photo Opportunities: Tony Comes, subject of Twist of Faith; Dominic Sarvello, Executive Director of The National Exchange Club Foundation

The National Exchange Club, a community service organization of nearly 900 clubs and 28,000 volunteers throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Exchange is working to make America a better place to live through one national project, the Prevention of Child Abuse, and other projects in the areas of Youth, Americanism and Community Service. To date, The National Exchange Club’s efforts have helped more than 175,000 families and 225,000 children break the cycle of child abuse.

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