Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month were both acknowledged in a White Ribbon Day event in the atrium of Fall River Government Center on April 4, 2012. Mayor William Flanagan read a proclamation before a series of speakers, including Chief of the Special Victims Unit of the Bristol County District Attorney's Office Silvia Rudman and Children's Advocacy Center Executive Director Michelle Loranger who both spoke about the increasing numbers of reports of child abuse. Fall River Women's Center Executive Director Pamela MacLeod-Lima, CD-Recreation Wellness and Market Manager Annemarie Sharkey and Wendy Garf-Lipp and Eitan Levine of United Neighbors of Fall River also offered remarks, a dramatic reading and a White Ribbon Pledge. Click here for the Herald News article and here for a Letter to the Editor. Click here for a video of the reading of the proclamation. For more information, contact Wendy Garf-Lipp at United Neighbors of Fall River at 508-324-7900.

(Top row) Director Pam MacLeod-Lima and Marisol Soto, Melissa Dagher, and Meredith Duffy of the Fall River Women's Center and Claire Spaulding and Stephanie Joyal of the Katie Brown Educational Program pose for photos in the atrium of Government Center before the program begins. (Row two) United Neighbors of Fall River Executive Director Wendy Garf-Lipp and Rebecca Arruda of the New Bedford Women's Center give opening remarks before Mayor William Flanagan proclaims April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. (Row three) Chief of the Special Victims Unit of the Bristol County District Attorney's Office Silvia Rudman speaks before Annemarie Sharkey of CD-Recreation gives a reading entitled "First Kiss" and Eitan Levine of United Neighbors announces the White Ribbon Campaign pledge. (Bottom row) Children's Advocacy Center Executive Director Michelle Loranger is interviewed by Fall River Herald News reporter Kevin O’Connor as Rev. Matthew Stewart talks with Dennis Zemba of the Chidlren's Advocacy Center, and City Council President Linda Pereira visit the exhibits.