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Schumer advocates for abused women and children

Ryan Delaney

Senator Charles Schumer visited the child advocacy center in Fulton Tuesday to promote passage of the Violence Against Women Act. Schumer chose to highlight Oswego County because of a sharp rise in reported child abuse cases.

Reported child abuse cases in Oswego County increased by nearly 60% last year, according to Senator Charles Schumer.

The New York Senator says the Violence Against Women Act would provide grant money to help Oswego and other New York counties to help child abuse victims. Schumer says he believes the rise in child abuse in Oswego County is because more cases are being reported to authorities than in previous years.

The senator said that Oswego County needs more federal funding because its case workers tackle an average of 139 child abuse cases per year. That's compared to a nationwide average of 72 cases per worker each year.

Money from the proposed federal grants would go toward the court system, hospitals, schools and child advocacy centers.