Be committed to protecting your children from abuse.
Prevention of Sexual Abuse
1. Watch out for one-on-one adult/child isolated situations.
Darkness to Light reports that "80% or more of child sexual abuse incidents happen in isolated, one-on-one situations" and recommends that caregivers eliminate or reduce these situations.
2. Talk openly with your child.
Good communication decreases a child’s vulnerability and increases the likelihood that the child will tell you if abuse has occurred.
3. Talk to organizations that serve your family and child. Don’t be afraid to ask organizations, such as day cares, summer camps, and churches, to show you their policies regarding abuse prevention.
4. Follow your gut.
If you have an uneasy feeling about someone, trust your instincts.
Prevention of Sexual Abuse
1. Watch out for one-on-one adult/child isolated situations.
Darkness to Light reports that "80% or more of child sexual abuse incidents happen in isolated, one-on-one situations" and recommends that caregivers eliminate or reduce these situations.
2. Talk openly with your child.
Good communication decreases a child’s vulnerability and increases the likelihood that the child will tell you if abuse has occurred.
- Teach children that secrets can be dangerous, and it’s best not to keep secrets from adults. Practice helping them understand the difference between a secret and a surprise.
- Teach correct words for body parts.
- Teach children about their bodies; what sexual abuse is and places on their bodies no one is supposed to touch. Make sure they understand that if they are touched on these places or made to touch someone else, they will not be in trouble.
- Rather than teaching a child about "stranger danger," teach them "people safety." This includes telling them that any person - even close family members or friends - who displays certain behaviors is someone they need to talk to you about.
- Teach children Internet safety, including never giving out their addresses, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, or photographs.
- If a child seems uncomfortable or resistant to being with a particular adult, ask why without disciplining the child, and listen carefully to their response..
- Be a good listener. If your child comes to you about something they are concerned about, take the time to listen.
- Tell your child that they will never get in trouble if they tell.
- Don’t react negatively. Often times, children will tell part of what happened to see how you will react. If you respond negatively or emotionally, they will shut down.
- Give your child permission to protest when they feel boundaries are crossed.
- Offenders choose vulnerable children. Give positive attention to your child to develop a strong relationship.
3. Talk to organizations that serve your family and child. Don’t be afraid to ask organizations, such as day cares, summer camps, and churches, to show you their policies regarding abuse prevention.
- At a minimum, youth serving organizations should do criminal background checks, review professional recommendations on employees and volunteers, and have policies that limit adult’s one-one-one time with children.
- Ensure that youth-serving organizations have policies in place for dealing with suspicious situations and reports of abuse.
- Insist that youth-serving organizations train their staff and volunteers to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.
4. Follow your gut.
If you have an uneasy feeling about someone, trust your instincts.
- If you have a friend or relative who is always looking to be alone with your child or shows an inappropriate interest in your child’s life, be cautious.
- Think carefully about the safety of any one-adult/one-child situations. Choose group situations.
- Take your own history into account. Don’t think that you are the only person in your family in whom your relative had an inappropriate interest. Chances are this person is still pursuing children.
- Don't conduct the investigation yourself. Contact local social services or police.
How should you react if you discover or suspect that child sexual abuse is occurring?
Follow this link for information.
Follow this link for information.
Prevention of Physical and Emotional Abuse
1. Take parenting classes and encourage other parents and caregivers to do so.
2. Tips from "Raising Well-Behaved Kids: What Parents Should Know":
1. Take parenting classes and encourage other parents and caregivers to do so.
2. Tips from "Raising Well-Behaved Kids: What Parents Should Know":
- Notice the first signs of anger and cool down before disciplining your children.
- Improve your relationship with your children.
- State your case in ways that increase cooperation.
- Focus on the positive, praise and reward.
- Set clear consequences, such as active ignoring, work chores, time-outs, or removal of toy or activity.
- If needed, get professional help.
