UIS students advocate for change during Child Abuse Prevention Month

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — April is National child Abuse Prevention Month. Campus Child Advocates at the University of Illinois Springfield is a student organization that hosts events educating students about topics like child neglect, human trafficking, and substance abuse issues. 

This year, Campus Child Advocates placed 160 blue pinwheels around the UIS campus. Each pinwheel represents a child that died from abuse in Illinois in 2023. 

"We hope to just really bring awareness to this because so many children are unfortunately affected by child maltreatment," said Jessalyn Bjorling, the President of Campus Child Advocates. "160 is only the number of children who unfortunately passed away, not even everyone impacted."

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Bjorling says the pinwheels also help students at UIS who have experienced abuse feel seen and recognize that they have support on campus. She also hopes it helps more people think about the struggles children are facing around the state. 

"We're the next generation, we're going to be the ones moving forward, being the policymakers, being the people making the change and fighting for children," said Bjorling. "So I think just college students being able to see this and walk by like, it can make them have that realization of this is an issue that we need to be fighting for." 

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