Overcoming cultural barriers in child abuse prevention

Overcoming cultural barriers in child abuse prevention 2 Works for You's Gitzel Puente talks to a bilingual therapist at The Parent Child Center of Tulsa.

Parents feel they can't makemistakes or they can't dothings that are notperfect." BUT DEANNACARRASCO SAYS NO PARENT ISPERFECT.

AS A LICENSEDPROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR..SHE'S SEEN PARENTS MAKEPOOR DECISIONS.

Deanna"Hitting things likebruising, of course sexualabuse." AND 3:34- 39 "Butalso the domestic violence,the violence in the home."SHE WORKS AT "THE PARENTCHILD CENTER OF TULSA"WHICH SEEKS TO PREVENT CHILDABUSE AND NEGLECT.

THEYSERVED NEARLY ONE-THOUSANDCLIENTS IN THERAPEUTICSERVICES LAST YEAR..

APORTION OF THEM HISPANIC.THAT'S WHERE DEANNA'S WORKAS A BILINGUAL THERAPISTBECOMES INSTRUMENTAL.Deanna"It helps tremendouslybecause I can speak to themin Spanish and English andalso provide services thatthey may need." SHE SAYS ALOT OF THE TIMES..

CULTURALDIFFERENCES MAY LEAD TOHARMFUL BEHAVIOR."What kind of abuse is moreprevalent?" Deanna"They kind of minimize a lotof the hitting because thehitting is normalized for solong in their families,their grandpa and grandmadid it, their moms and dadsdid it." IN ORDER TOPREVENT CHILD ABUSE FROMHAPPENING AGAIN..

THE CENTEROFFERSHELPFUL RESOURCES..

SUCH ASEDUCATIONAL VIDEOS ONLINE..AND TOOLS TO RELIEVE STRESSFAMILIES CAN USE DURINGTHERAPY SESSIONS.SUCH AS STRESS BALLS."They can really stretchthem as far as they want."AND BUBBLES."There's nothing likebubbles and bubbles arealways the best because youcan carry them everywhere."BECAUSE OF COVID-19..

MOSTOF DEANNA'S INDIVIDUALFAMILY THERAPY SESSIONS ARENOW VIRTUAL.

INSTEAD OFINSIDE THE HOME."You kind of still see thechildren in the backgroundyou know doing their littlethings that they donormally, but it is muchharder yes." DURING THISTIME OF UNCERTAINTY..

IFPARENTS START TO FEELSTRESSED..

ANGRY ORDEPRESSED..

DEANNA SAYS TAKECARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH."You come first before thechildren because if youcan't take care ofyourself, then you're notable to take careof your children."REPORTING IN TULSA, GP,2WFY.FOR MORE HELPFULINFORMATION... SEARCH FORTHIS STORY AND OUR PREVIOUSREPORTS ON CHILD ABUSE...DURING THE "LOOK OUT, REACHOUT" CAMPAIGN.

JUST VISITOUR WEBSITE -- K-J-R-H-DOT-COM."Now,