Group strives to end child abuse

Middletown, Conn. (WTNH) -- Folks in Middletown took to the streets to urge everyone to take the pledge to end child abuse.

"You hear on the news and you hear everywhere about incidents of children being abused," said event organizer Bethanne Vergean.

Middletown's Community Renewal Team hosted a children's march and flag raising to recognize child abuse prevention month.

"It's incredibly important that other people who are going to come to their defense can see how they have to go about helping children that might be in a difficult position, because those children can't speak out for themselves," said Middletown Mayor Dan Drew.

The arrival of more than 100 CRT preschoolers timed so their ears would not hear the tale of Amy Platt, a survivor of child abuse.

"We were an average family until one day my life's plan was changed,"  she began.

She was molested as a child by both of her grandfathers.

"Frequently they would do this together. The only difference was that I was able to pull away from this grandfather because he was older and much weaker," she said.

After suffering in silence more than a decade, Platt got the support she needed from her parents. She has advice for those who don't, or can't.

"To speak up, and if one person doesn't listen where you're trying to tell somebody something, then go to another," she advises. "It's important to have a network of people you feel supportive with."

The goal is to get 5,000 pledge cards to end child abuse signed by the end of April.

Click here to take the pledge or here to learn more about National Child Abuse Prevention Month.