HOUSTON -- A new campaign was launched in the Houston area to raise awareness about child abuse after a survey revealed that although more than half of residents suspected a child was being abused, only one-third of them did anything about it, KPRC Local 2 reported Tuesday.

Every day, four children die of abuse nationwide, according to the Children's Assessment Center.

Child advocacy leaders said many of them could have been saved if one person who saw something actually said something.

That's exactly what the new child advocacy "Hope Shining" campaign is trying to change.

Officials said the No. 1 type of abuse is neglect. Just as parents can neglect their children, so can those who know about abuse and did not report it.

Child assessment leaders said the main reason why people do not report abuse, according to a Houston survey, is out of fear.

"Many fear they are wrong or that they will have problems with the parents. Many also fear that they will separate families and they'd rather mind their own business," Child Protective Services spokeswoman Estella Olguin said.

"That is not necessarily the case. Our goal is to keep the family together and reunite them. In the majority of the cases, we do not take the children out of their home. We put services into the home to save the core of the family," said Tammy Urban with The Children's Assessment Center.

A new survey in Houston showed 53 percent of Houstonians are concerned about child abuse but only 31 percent of Houstonians who witness abuse actually report it to police or Child Protective Services.

Whoever reports any kind of child abuse remains anonymous and does not need proof of the abuse.

There are several warning signs to look for, including unexplained injuries, fear of going home, changes in school performance and attendance, lack of personal care, and hygiene and inappropriate sexual behavior.