CENTER LEADS CHILD-ABUSE AWARENESS PROJECT.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

This year's Child Abuse Prevention Campaign distributed more than 125,000 pieces of literature aimed at raising awareness in the Antelope Valley, which has the highest number of reported cases in Los Angeles County.

The monthlong campaign, spearheaded by the Children's Center, also ran informational television commercials on preventing child abuse and public service announcements on local radio stations, and erected 10 billboards to promote the campaign's slogan, ``It Shouldn't Hurt to Be a Kid.'

``There are 8,000 reports of abuse that come into the Children's Center each year,'' said Barbara Merritt, campaign chairwoman and a board member of the center, which serves abused children. ``We're working on getting that number down. We're working to get ourselves out of business.''

The campaign is geared to inform people how to recognize signs and causes of abuse, and the resources available to victims. The local campaign was held in conjunction with a national program.

The center hosted the campaign's closing ceremony Thursday in front of Lancaster City Hall.

More than $40,000 was raised to finance this year's educational campaign, almost double the $25,000 raised last year, said Merritt, marketing director for the High Desert Medical Group.

This year, a special handout titled ``Time Out'' was distributed to more than 42,000 homes in the Antelope Valley. The tabloid contained useful information on how to prevent children becoming victims of sexual and physical abuse, and listed resources and information for families or individuals in need of help.

Copies of the publication will be placed in physicians' offices and at agencies serving children and families.

Funds for the campaign were solicited from the community and no money was used from the Children's Center budget.

Keeping its reputation as a site of physical and sexual abuse of children, the Antelope Valley recorded a 6.3 percent increase in child abuse reports in 1997, according to Sheriff's Department statistics.

The Antelope Valley recorded last year an average of 2.07 sexual and physical child abuse reports per 10,000 inhabitants, far above the next highest communities served by the Sheriff's Department - Lennox, with 1.43, and Lakewood, with 1.34, records show.