Abuse Problem Growing, Panel Says
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The woman stood to ask the panel of child abuse experts some simple questions. What, she asked, could she do for parents who she thinks are at risk of abusing their children? What should she tell them? Where should she send them? What can she do?

"I want to give them options to hitting their kids," said the woman, Eugene day care operator Michelle Graham.

Graham was among about 60 people attending a forum on child abuse at North Eugene High School on Sunday titled "Tell Me About It."

Graham told the panel that she sees kids in her day care who she suspects may be abused and parents who don't have the skills to handle their children. But she also emphasized that she sees evidence of abuse elsewhere:  in parking lots, on the streets, in grocery stores.

The panelists suggested a number of alternatives for Graham and others interested in helping to curb child abuse, beginning with the agencies represented on the panel:  Relief Nursery, Centro LatinoAmericano, Catholic Community Services, Family Resources, Birth to Three, Eugene School District 4J, Looking Glass, Children's Services Division, Children First of Oregon, and others.

But the resources of each of the organizations are taxed, the panel concurred. There was talk of the horror of waiting lists.

Susan Dey, manager for Lane County of the state Children's Services Division, pointed out that her agency has been put in the position of deciding which kids to serve because they cannot all be served.

The message of the forum turned to keeping the issue of stopping child abuse in the forefront of the community's agenda and urging individuals to commit volunteer time, money and thought to the issue.

"When you see a child, know that is our future," said Jean Phelps, director of Lane County Relief Nursery. "That child belong to all of us."

Lane County Commissioner Jack Roberts, the forum's keynote speaker, noted that despite all that has been accomplished to fight child abuse, the situation is worsening.

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