Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
“Child
abuse casts a shadow the length of a lifetime.” ~Herbert Ward
We all know someone in
our circle who has been a victim of child abuse. We hear stories from families,
friends, and our community. We recognize the fact there is zero tolerance for
child abuse of any sort, yet through fear or lack of knowledge, there are times
where a child endures such trauma that it can remain with him or her for the
rest of their lives. Child abuse is unacceptable. Children are our future. It is imperative we provide them a safe
environment when they are young so they can grow into strong people for our
future.
Prevent Child Abuse
America is one organization that uses 92 cents of every dollar raised towards
programs that help children and families thrive. Prevent Child Abuse America was founded in
Chicago in 1972 and every year helps over 100,000 families. “Prevent Child
Abuse America works to promote the healthy development of children and prevent
child abuse before it can occur”.
A child’s development
can be undermined by neglect, and by the exposure to extreme and sustained
stress. According to Prevent Child Abuse, “When we invest in healthy child
development, we are investing in the community and economic development”. The
idea is to make sure child abuse and neglect never occur by focusing on public
policies that prioritize prevention from the start, says Prevent Child Abuse
America.
No population is left
untouched by child abuse. Rural, suburban, and urban areas are not exempt from
child abuse. All racial and cultural groups are affected, and abuse is present
in all socioeconomic and educational levels. The long-term consequences of
ill-treatment to children do not go unnoticed. Such consequences related to a
child associated with abuse are drug and alcohol abuse, increased teenage
pregnancy, and homelessness. Our society will have to contribute to correct the
issues related to child abuse, let alone the severe emotional and behavioral
issues the victims themselves must face from his or her trauma. The attention
to prevention must be addressed.
Prevent Child Abuse
America advocates for 1) Promoting the concept that putting a stop to child
sexual abuse is everyone’s responsibility, and educating that sexual abuse is
unacceptable. 2) Accurate information is portrayed and taught on the actual
nature of sexual abuse. 3) Taking sexual abuse programs that are implemented,
evaluating them, and making them stronger. 4) Because children are often not
capable of protecting themselves, Prevent Child Abuse America advocates the
shift in prevention from child to the adult. “Adults must exercise an
affirmative obligation to safeguard them.” 5) New approaches are made to
prevent child abuse by exploration, evaluation, and strengthening. 6) Those
affected by child sexual abuse will have mental health services available to
them.
Communities, schools and
youth-serving organizations, and parents all have a role in promoting healthy
childhoods for children that prevent any sexual abuse of children in their
communities.
Community awareness and
support is accomplished by contacting the public health department or
organizations such as Prevent Child Abuse America. Aspects such as boundaries
that are crossed by peers or adults speaking or touching inappropriately,
resources for parents that will allow them to teach their children about
healthy sexuality, and understanding if organizations are doing all they can to
prevent sexual abuse and to keep children safe.
Communities can also encourage a connection to healthy sexual
development and parenting at the library.
The community can help the library to promote a safe environment and
education on healthy sexuality. Further, the community can support children by
“Setting and enforcing a standard for public advertising that avoids being
sexually exploitive of children”.
Schools and
youth-serving organizations can also help in this effort by creating a
respectful, healthy, and safe environment for every child. Safety policies
should be in place. For example, who can
and cannot access the school grounds and make clear limits on this. Pick-up and
drop-off rules, social media contact, photos of children, contact with staff,
behavior expected, and trips to the locker room and bathroom have some sort of
supervision, and policies for peer to peer abuse that discourages sexual
harassment. Further, a structured in-person interview and criminal background
checks to ensure a thorough screening of volunteers and employees are
implemented. Organizational policies should be explicitly stated to volunteers
and new employees by providing specific training. Prevent Child Abuse says,
“Avoid putting the responsibility for sexual abuse prevention solely on
children!”
Last but certainly not
least, the family’s involvement with children on all aspects of sexuality. Parents should learn and be encouraged to
feel comfortable talking to his or her child and vice versa. Early education is
essential to making a difference. Speak to your kids about family values,
healthy relationships, proper names of the body and how they work, safe
behavior for on-line and off-line communication, safe social media usage, and
the difference between secrecy and privacy.
Children should be taught to set limits with the type of touch they have
with peers or adults, what is appropriate, and what is not. Finally, have an
open communication type relationship with your child to ensure that they can
ask any question regarding sexuality, and to make certain they do not become
subject to child sexual abuse.
By Sarah Reno Baker
This
column is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or
psychological advice or treatment.
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