April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Child Abuse Prevention month. The Advocacy Center in Waco is calling on locals to stand up for victims.

You will see many wearing shades of blue in support of victims. The symbolic color for child abuse stems from a grandmother in Norfolk, Virgina named Bonnie Finley. Finley’s grandson had passed due to child abuse so she started tying a blue ribbon to the antenna of her car in 1989.

Fort Hood’s Victim Advocate Manager, Ronda Shabazz provided us with the backstory.

“The reason for blue is because she never intended to forget the batter and the bruises that she saw on her grandchild. She said they started out black but they ended up blue.” -Shabazz

The color teal is symbolic for sexual assault awareness. The Advocacy Center of Waco is partnering with local coffee shops and bars providing them with coffee cup sleeves and coasters with sexual assault information.

Advocacy Center Executive director Aleigh Ascherl shares more on the importance of local business partnership.

“Support a culture a community that is intolerant of sexual violence.” – Ascherl

The Advocacy Center also invites the community to join them in displaying pinwheels in their yards. Pinwheels for Prevention raises awareness for childhood abuse.