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Recognize and stop child abuse

West Virginia legislators, some probably shocked by Gov. Jim Justice’s comment about sexual abuse of children, seem eager to do something about it.

If you missed it, Justice said during his State of the State speech that one in 10 Mountain State children will suffer sexual abuse before reaching age 18.

Among approaches being considered by lawmakers is better training of school personnel to recognize victims of abuse, and on what to do about it.

As we have stressed previously, school teachers and other employees are responsible for reporting an enormous percentage of child abuse situations. Bless them all for doing so.

Better training can’t hurt, however. Understanding why a child is not his or her normal self and asking the right questions can make a world of difference.

Is this a priority? Yes, it is. Assume Justice is wrong, that 10 percent of our children are being abused. If it is just 1 percent, that is far too many of our precious little boys and girls being hurt.

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