In 1972 Donna J. Stone has a vision of a future in which no children are ever abused or neglected.

She recognizes the importance of ensuring great childhoods for all children, and started the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse in Chicago with ”seed” money from her own fortune. In 1974, the committee sponsors a four-day seminar on child abuse at the University of Chicago Center for Continuing Education, which more than 300 people attend. The 200,000 cases of child abuse reported annually ”are just the tip of the iceberg,” she says at the time, because few states actively enforce the requirement that incidents be reported. For more history and resources please click here.

In 1976 Prevent Child Abuse America launched their first nationwide public service campaign in partnership with the Ad Council. Those PSAs offer practical solutions to preventing child abuse and delivered the tagline, “Take time out. Don’t take it out on your child.” Through the years, the campaigns shape the way Americans viewed child abuse.

In 1996, more than 18,000 calls were made to the hotline and more than 95% of adults surveyed said they believed child abuse was a serious problem.

To watch one of their sobering PSA adds, click here.