LIHU‘E — April started with the state’s Department of Health, Kaua‘i District Health Office planting blue pinwheels in observance of April being Child Abuse Prevention Month in lieu of the Girl Scouts because of the stay-at-home mandate generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We really miss our community partners,” said Mia Carroll, the assistant director of the YWCA of Kaua‘i, Thursday. “Our Girl Scouts would normally plant the pinwheels, and the Kaua‘i Police Department helps with the traffic along Hardy Street to keep everyone safe.”
The month of April ended with staff members of the YWCA, many garbed in the symbolic blue of Child Abuse Prevention Month, planting pinwheels in front of the YWCA of Kaua‘i center on Hardy Street.
“With COVID-19 affecting best-laid plans, we unfortunately had to postpone our April 22 event of pinwheel planting and open house,” Carroll said. “However, we know that raising awareness is just as important, if not more so now with stay-at-home orders across the country isolating child abuse victims, and cutting off whatever outside support they may have. A majority of child abuse reports are made by concerned teachers and counselors, and as you know, children will now be out for the remainder of this school year.”
Stefani Iwami, the clinical director of Sexual Assault Services for the YWCA of Kaua‘i was among the first ones grabbing pinwheels out of the cardboard box, and despite not having the digger for planting, led the line of staff including Matthew Houck, the lead prevention educator, prevention educators Chaia Werger, Julie Gillmore, Carroll, and even executive director Renae Hamilton-Cameilh who needed a bigger digger for the hardpack at the intersection of Hardy and Elua streets.
“It’s essential to plant the pinwheels and remind our community that these are important issues, especially now,” Iwami said. “Although shelter-in-place mandates are helping us all to stay healthy, for families affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of child abuse, sheltering in place may not be keeping us safe. We hope that the community is aware that the YWCA of Kaua‘i continues to be available with our 24-hour confidential hotline, crisis intervention, TRO support, shelter, counseling and more. Our community agency partners remain operating, too — our Kaua‘i Police Department continues to investigate crimes, including those of child abuse and sexual assault, the Children’s Justice Center continues to conduct interviews for child abuse victims, and the KPD Sexual Assault Nurse Exam program continues to offer medical forensic exams that do not require a police report to be made.”
Hamilton-Cameilh said one of the things she noticed about this COVID-19 pandemic is the increase in the number of phone calls from young people needing help.
Iwami said for support with any of these services, anyone can contact the 24-hour hotline at 245-6362.
“YWCA Advocates are ready to help,” she said.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
