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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1989)
Page 3 WORKING TOGETHER TO STOP CHILD ABUSE Smoke Signals February 19S9 I viz Riley Porter HONORING OUR WARRIORS: RILEY PORTER The Warrior wc wish to honor this month is Riley Sherman Porter, a long time resident of the Grand Ronde area. During World War II, Riley served in active duty status with the U.S. Navy. Stationed on a mine sweeper, Riley recalls being the first ship to sweep the "dy Gi4f ' ; -Jyt' Tl fflri,nff;ff1ftJjKirafinn "We would sweep the bay and then stand as a gun battery. 'We lost two sweepers and were under constant strafing attacks by the Japanese," Espritos Santos was the designated recreation site for the Army and Navy, Riley recalls that the recreation consisted of packing a gun to shoot at the snipers while you were supposed to beresting. After World War II Riley spent 1947-1950 in the Coast Guard. His basic duties were as an instructor. Upon finishing his duty in the Coast Guard, he went on reserve status only to be reactivated in 1951 for Naval duty off the shores of Korea. Riley served on the USS Rendova, a carrier escort ship. During this time he participated in over 60 rescue missions. "If a plane went down we had to find it." Riley achieved the rank of Engineman First Class. After the Korean conflict Riley served as a reserve, again , instructing other naval personnel in shipboard wiring and maintenance. Making a total of 13 years of service to his country. Among the many citations given to the Warrior for his service were: Philippine Presidential unit liberation citation with two battle stars and Asiatic-Pacific cam paign Medal with two battle stars. '; ,. ' ' Today you can find Riley Porter doing active service for the Tribe. He is a member of the Hunting-Fishing Gathering committee and Health committee. He also, devotes much of his time in working and counseling in the field of alcohol and drug abuse. Many warriors have served our country during times of war and times of peace. Each one fulfilling an impor ' tant role in keeping this country safe. It is up to us to continue honoring each one for their contributions. Hardly a day goes by that the media does not report some case of child abuse. In 1986 there were over 2 million children in the U.S. who were reported physi cally injured, neglected, or sexually or emotionally abused by their parents or guardians. Over 1300 of these children died as a result of the abuse. . Over $2 billion was spent responding after bodies had been beaten, personalities crushed, families shattered. The best studies suggest this approach is successful in preventing future abuse less than half the time. Even as families are in treatment, recurrence of serious abuse and neglect occurs over 30 of the time. "If child abuse and neglect was a contagious disease, Oregon would be under quarantine." Since 1971 children have been identified as victims of child maltreatment.- And it is likely that three times that number remain unidentified without protection. We now know that the physical and sexual abuse of children exists in every community. We are beginning to realize that it exists in places we'd never suspect. Behind closed doors, children may be abused in families where secrecy is top priority. Jobs may be at stake; social prestige may be involved. Private shame must not become public knowledge. By combining the powerful believe that any child with whom the official comes in contact in any official capacity has suffered abuse, or that any person with whom the official comes in contact in any official capacity has abused a child shall report or cause a report to be made..." Those public or private officials include: Physician, including any intern or resident Dentist School employee Licensed practical nurse or registered nurse Employee of the Department of Human Resources, county health department, community mental health program, a county juvenile department, or a licensed child-caring agency. Peace officer Psychologist Clergyman Social Worker Optometrist Chiropractor Certified provider of day care, foster care, or an employee thereof Attorney Naturopathic physician Any tribal member concerned that a child they know may be being abused, can report it to the Social Services elements ofe commut we are seeking jp jncrasDepartment at 879-5253jA,ny reports or referral are kpublrc'-awarenessHnorder to establish-constructive solutions to an immense problem. According to Oregon Revised Statute 418.750, "Any public or private official having reasonable cause to kept confidential. Let's work together to stop child abuse in any form within our community. We don't want our children to become one of these statistics. Mary Ring, Social Services Director SELF-ESTEEM BUILDING SKILLS It may seem strange that self-esteem is directly related to alcohol and other drug use, but studies show that people with drinking and drug problems usually have low self-esteem. A child who feels positive about himself or herself is more likely to have the self-respect to say "NO" to alcohol and other drugs. , Just as there are five listening skills that can help a parent become a better listener, there are five "esteem building skills" that parents can practice to increase a child's self-esteem. ESTEEM-BUILDING SKILL 1: Give lots of praise, for effort as well as accomplishment. Look for achievement, even in small tasks, and praise your child often. Also let your child know that trying hard is even more important than winning. ESTEEM-BUILDING SKILL 2: Help your child set realistic goals. ,, ; , If the child, or the parent, expects too much, the result ing failure can be a crushing blow. Your child may not know that his or her personal best can make you just as proud as a blue ribbon. . . . i.j. :. ESTEEM-BUILDING SKILL 3: When correcting, criticize the action, not the child. Helpful example: "Climbing that fence was dangerous. You could have been hurt, so don't do it again." Hurtful Example: "You shouldn't have climbed that fence. Don't you have any sense?" ESTEEM-BUILDING SKILL 4: Give your child real responsibility. Children who have regular duties around the house learn to see themselves as a valuable part of a team, and completing their duties installs a sense of accomplish ment. ESTEEM-BUILDING SKILL 5: Show your children you love them. Hugs, kisses, and saying, "I love you" help your child feel good about himself or herself. Children are never too old to be told that they are loved and highly valued. And contrary to popular belief, single-parent families can give children the same basis for self-esteem as two parent families, as long as the parent-child relationship is strong and loving. Some studies have shown that children of divorced parents are no more likely than others to use alcohol or other drugs. Repectfuly Submitted, Maragret Provost ;V,,.V,.Y, 7
