LUBBOCK, Texas — 1,217 children were abused in Lubbock County in 2019.
Those are confirmed cases according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
The Family Guidance Center of Lubbock is doing what it can to end child abuse in Lubbock County and bring more awareness to the issue.
For the past 3 years, they have put blue flags all over Kastman Park.
One flag for every case of confirmed child abuse.
This year, there will be 1,217 flags in the park.
“Every year we keep thinking maybe we won’t have to order more flags, but the past three years we have to order more flags,” said Executive Director Abby Reed.
Reed says this is a problem that could be happening to someone you might know.
“This is happening next door to us and it’s happening across the street,” Reed said. “It’s happening in students we see in schools and this may be happening to families who are coming to our classes.”
The flag campaign is a big campaign but a strong visual for the community to see how big the problem of child abuse really is.
And Reed says they need your help to keep the campaign going and raise money for the cause.
“We spend thousands of dollars each year for this campaign so we started a program last year called ‘Friends of the Flag’ and people can go on our website and donate $10 to sponsor a flag,” Reed explained.
Reed hopes next year there will be fewer flags in Kastman Park, but until then she hopes this starts a dialogue to end child abuse.
“It’s so sad,” Reed said.
You can be a Friend of the Flag by donating here.
The flags will be in Kastman Park for two weeks starting the first weekend of April.