Mayor proclaims April Child Abuse Prevention Month; West Georgia Child Advocacy Center outlines services

The Carrollton mayor proclaimed April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month at the April 14 council meeting and invited Alan Babcock, executive director of the West Georgia Child Advocacy Center (WGACAC), to summarize the center's services and local statistics.

Babcock said the center conducts about 400 forensic interviews per year—"it's actually closer to 450"—and has performed more than 4,000 interviews since opening in 2012. He said the center serves Carroll and Haralson counties and nearby areas (a population roughly 170,000) and provides wraparound advocacy and trauma-focused therapy free of charge. Babcock also announced the center has begun on-site forensic medical exams, a service local partners had sought since the center opened.

Babcock cited national and state statistics to underline the scale of the problem: internationally, he said one in five girls and about one in 20 boys are victims of child sexual abuse by age 18; in the United States, he cited that a report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds and that an estimated 600,000 children are confirmed victims of abuse or neglect each year. He said 60% of referrals to the center are for alleged sexual abuse and that about four children die daily in the U.S. from abuse and neglect.

Mayor Betty B. Kasein thanked Babcock and highlighted the multi-agency partnerships the center relies on, including law enforcement, the District Attorney's office, school social workers and local nonprofits. Babcock closed by urging prevention work and offering the center's training and prevention programming to local groups.

What happens next: The proclamation is a ceremonial call to action; WGACAC continues its outreach, prevention training and clinical and forensic services in the region.