Your Facebook Profile Picture Doesn't Do a Damn Thing to Fight Child Abuse

I had a completely different post planned for today... and then I got annoyed.  Annoyance turned to anger.  Anger turned to fury.  Fury became this blog post.

You know, I hope by now I've established in previous posts that I have a sense of humor.  I am all for fun.  I can take a joke.  But someone has to call bullshit on all this phony Facebook activism.

Photo Credit: frogDNA via Flickr Creative Commons

The latest internet meme to pollute my Facebook newsfeed calls for us to change our profile pictures to that of our favorite cartoon character from childhood.  When I first saw friends changing their pictures to beloved cartoon characters, I thought "cute" or "Oh I remember that one," but I didn't know why.  As more pictures changed, the usual calls requesting others to do the same came along with them.  No reason given.  I think someone said something about not wanting to see a human face on Facebook. Ok, whatever.  I even gave in for a couple of days.  I love 80's cartoons after all.  Later I changed it to my Christmas Tree because I was feeling festive and forgot all about the cartoon thing.  Finally, after a couple of weeks, an explanation of the cartoon phenomenon finally pops up on my page in the form of this Facebook status reposted here verbatim.

"change your FB profile picture to a favorite cartoon from your childhood. The goal is to not see a human face on FB till Monday, December, 6th. Join the fight against child abuse."

Really? Pardon me for one second...

HOW THE FUCK DOES CHANGING MY FACEBOOK PROFILE PICTURE FIGHT CHILD ABUSE?


By posting George Jetson, does that mean he will magically soar in from out of the sky in a futuristic vehicle to rescue all the abused children of the world?  Does changing my profile picture to a Thundercat teach parents how to constructively deal with their anger?   Will Optimus Prime be able to block a punch from a drunken caregiver?  No. It doesn't do a damn thing.  Pretending like it does is an affront to people out there who are really doing something for abused children.  It is an insult to children who have and are suffering abuse.

I'm not a saint.  I could do a lot more for my community. But I DO NOT, I WILL NOT pretend that changing my Facebook profile does anything to help anyone.  Your cartoon character does as little to help abused children as relaying your bra color spreads cancer awareness.

Photo Credit: Christine K. via Flicker Creative Commons

Awareness.

That's a buzz word I wish would go away.  Spreading "awareness" via a Facebook status that seeks to guilt me into compliance with a "99% won't repost" statistic pulled out of someone's ass does not spread awareness.  You know what spreads awareness?  Facts.  So I am going to share a few facts with you today.  A little bit of information that might help you or someone you know.

Photo Credit: ViV@MiViD@ via Flickr Creative Commons

 The following statistics are per  Childhelp, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect.  Additional statistics can be found here.

• Almost five children die everyday as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4.
• 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way; 68% are abused by family members.
• Nearly two-thirds of the people in treatment for drug abuse reported being abused as children.

Childhelp sponsors a National Child Abuse Hotline.  If you know or suspect a child is being abused you can call 1-800-4-A-CHILD.  If you are a distressed parent and you are seeking crisis intervention you can call for help.

Prevent Child Abuse America has free publications you can download of Prevention Tips for Parents that include Twelve Alternatives for Lashing Out at Your Child and Recognizing Child Abuse: What Parents Should Know.  And then there's my favorite, Ten Ways to Help Prevent Child Abuse.  Many of the suggestions are quite simple and I will provide them in their entirety here:

Photo Credit: Jasmic via Flickr Creative Commons

• Be a nurturing parent - Children need to know that they are special, loved and capable of following their dreams.
• Help a friend, neighbor or relative - Being a parent isn't easy. Offer a helping hand take care of the children, so the parent(s) can rest or spend time together.
• Help yourself - When the big and little problems of your everyday life pile up to the point you feel overwhelmed and out of control - take time out. Don't take it out on your kid.
• If your baby cries... - It can be frustrating to hear your baby cry. Learn what to do if your baby won't stop crying. Never shake a baby - shaking a child may result in severe injury or death.
• Get involved - Ask your community leaders, clergy, library and schools to develop services to meet the needs of healthy children and families.
• Help to develop parenting resources at your local library.
• Promote programs in school - Teaching children, parents and teachers prevention strategies can help to keep children safe.
• Monitor your child's television and video viewing - Watching violent films and TV programs can harm young children.
• Volunteer at a local child abuse prevention program - For more information about volunteer opportunities, call 1.800.CHILDREN
• Report suspected abuse or neglect - If you have reason to believe a child has been or may be harmed, call your local department of children and family services of your local police department.

Glaringly absent in this list is a suggestion to change your profile picture to a cartoon character.  I guess Prevent Child Abuse America isn't on Facebook. Oh wait a minute... they are!  So is Childhelp. Gee, their profile pictures are totally boring and not funny at all.

Photo Credit: somethingstartedcrazy via Flickr Creative Commons

I guess because child abuse isn't funny.  Just like cancer isn't cute, breast or otherwise.

I get it. We all care about these causes.  It doesn't make you a bad person to participate in these things. We all don't have time to volunteer or money to donate, but you still want to show you care.  All I ask is that next time, in an effort to spread awareness about a cause, you actually spread information about that cause.  Information can save lives.  You can Google "Child Abuse" just as quickly as you can Google "Jem and the Holograms."

So the next time someone asks you to post the whereabouts of your purse, I hope instead you will consider posting links to the following websites:

Cancer Sucks: Fundraiser 4 Becca
Pablove
The American Cancer Society

Now get off the internet and go hug your kids.

And for pete's sake, change your damn profile picture back to anything but a cartoon character.