Massachusetts has the third highest number of children abused annually, according to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which held its annual Family Affair fundraiser gala to honor individuals who fight child abuse.

Emmy award-winning actress Lindsay Wagner was honored alongside two of Los Angeles’ most prominent childcare advocates, Deanne Tilton Durfee and her husband Dr. Michael Durfee.

The gala’s aim was to honor three individuals for their exemplary work in the area in child abuse prevention and raise money to support such prevention. Wagner, an honorary chairwoman of the largest child abuse council nationwide, Los Angeles county’s Inter-Agency on Child Abuse and Neglect, was presented the award via video by her two teenaged sons, Dorian and Alex.

During her acceptance speech, Wagner expressed her thanks to the audience of donators and volunteers, ‘for being part of human evolution,’ by helping to end the cycle that child abuse can usually become.

‘She’s involved in this field because she realized, after having kids herself, that a parent shouldn’t allow the stress of parenthood to be taken out on children,’ said her son Alex. ‘She’s been an inspiration to us through action.’

Wagner outlined her plans to create a retreat center for social workers and others ‘in the trenches,’ who deal with the horrors of abuse daily.

Deanne Durfee, who started her career as a social worker and is now the executive director of ICAN, was also honored along with her husband, Michael, the medical director of the Child Abuse Prevention Program in Los Angeles.

Michael Durfee played a major role in convincing the Massachusetts legislature to adopt the Child Fatality Review, which reviews children’s death resulting from all types of injury. Massachusetts was the last state in the country to adopt this review.

Durfee shared his theory about child abuse prevention, saying, ‘The reason we’re here celebrating protecting children is that we’re realizing children are clearly people. The first step was women, and children now follow.’

Deanne Durfee accepted her award tearfully and explained the source of her dedication.

‘We all have different ideas, different demons in our heads,’ she said. ‘But it is clear we all have these children in our heads. These images emblazoned in my heart that keep me going.’

She shared wisdom Lady Sarah Churchill had once imparted to her: ‘In putting the child back together, you are putting back together the world.’

GoodStart, a MSPCC program that aims to strengthen parenting skills in young parents and provide support throughout the entire parenting process, is one of the most successful programs, according to Bill Achtmeyer, MSPCC’s board chairman.

‘There are two extremes; those children who have suffered clinical abuse and those children who may be abused. GoodStart is aimed at prevention,’ Achtmeyer said.

MSPCC has also been studying one-time abuse, ‘to figure out what happened. We’re learning from these abuse situations to figure out how to stop it,’ he said.

Achtmeyer also explained their process of demographically profiling people to learn more about sources of abuse. Currently, this study is being conducted in the Fall River and New Bedford areas.

The gala, which cost guests $250 a plate, brought in approximately $700,000. Much of the proceeds will benefit the GoodStart program.