Campus confronts child abuse

The social awareness campaign, "Our Kids, Our Business," began on Gonzaga's campus this week for the National Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the Inland Northwest.

Students are encouraged to get involved with the campaign to help children in these circumstances and promote awareness in Spokane's community.

Events were held Monday through Thursday on campus, and in the greater Spokane area, with Volunteers of America. 

The focus of the campaign is to stress how important it is for children, and those involved, to report child abuse and to know how to prevent it.

Kasi Hohbach, a Gonzaga alumna and AmeriCorps volunteer, organized the campaign and initiated student involvement.

Hohbach has worked on developing the program through several student groups to promote the awareness.

"It is really important for children to have someone to look up to and trust," Hohbach said. "The most important thing a Gonzaga student can do is to be a mentor for a child."

Gonzaga's Science Club held a science fair Monday, for the children and mentors of the University's Center for Community Action and Service Learning, and after-school mentoring program Campus Kids.

The Gonzaga Psychology Club showed a clip Tuesday from "Thirteen" to address child abuse.

On Wednesday, there was an opportunity for Gonzaga students to attend the Summer Service Fair, which showcased programs dedicated to assisting children in need. There were representatives from Mentoring Children of Promise, Odyssey Youth, Peaceful Valley, Salvation Army, Vanessa Beehan, Volunteers of America, Tincan, Jack Sports Academy, Spokane PAC, P-CAP, DAD's Committee, Campus Kitchens, The Gary Middle School Garden Project, and Wishing Star. The fair was held in the WA/CA room in the COG from 6-8 p.m.

On the last day of the campaign, on Thursday, Gonzaga's Circle K Club passed out pinwheels in front of Crosby with facts devoted to the two goals: opportunities to serve and effective education for marketable skills.

As a former Seton on Gonzaga's campus, Hohbach was heavily involved in service and promotion of helping children through campus kids. "I wanted to use the campaign on Gonzaga's campus because I was so familiar with the design of service organizations and how involved students were with these organizations," Hohbach said.

Hohbach is only with AmeriCorps for this year, but is hopeful that the event will continue in preceding years. She said that she wants to leave a good foundation for the next leader to take over next year and build on.

Sophomore Molly Johnston worked on the campaign as an intern and is working with the AmeriCorps volunteers on campus. "It's been a really great way to get people involved from a variety of different groups; Campus Kids, The Science Club, The Psychology Club, Circle K and CCASL all have a place in this awareness week," Johnston said.

The event has never been held at Gonzaga before, but Johnston said that she hopes for it to be an annual campaign every year to raise awareness about child abuse.

Senior Megan Nichols worked on promoting the event in GSBA and said that she hopes for the event to catch the attention of students and community members. "I think it's really cool because the event has great potential to bring together other groups on campus and reach out to a wider community in Spokane," Nichols said.