Preventing Sexual Abuse

Preventing Sexual Abuse

Children need to understand that it is not just adult strangers who mistreat children. Unfortunately, sometimes people children know, love, and trust take away their rights. The perpetrators of physical and sexual abuse are rarely strangers: they could be parents, siblings, extended family, babysitters, neighbors, parents' friends, pastors, teachers, coaches or anyone who has close, unsupervised access to a child.

Below are some tips to share with children. Remember to emphasize that most adults are good, but that children need to be careful and talk about any kind of touching that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Both boys and girls have "touching" problems. It is NEVER a kid's fault when it happens. Grown ups know better than to hit kids so hard that it leaves red marks or bruises. Grown ups know better than to touch kids on private parts of their bodies.
Sometimes other kids may touch you in ways that make you feel bad or uncomfortable. It is just as important to tell about this as it is to tell when an older person is doing it.
Be aware of how you feel when different people touch you. If a touch ever makes you feel bad IN ANY WAY (sad, scared, uncomfortable, "gross," worried, surprised, shocked, nervous, nauseated), TELL AN ADULT AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
If the first person you tell doesn't believe you or doesn't take action to help you, don't give up. Keep telling until you get help. If you're too scared or nervous to tell someone in your family, tell a friend's parent. Or tell somebody at school. Principals, teachers, and counselors know that kids have these kinds of problems. They know how to help.

Sexual abuse can take many forms. It can happen when

someone tries to touch you on private parts of your body
someone tries to force or trick you into touching their private parts
someone shows you their private parts, or tries to see yours
someone wants to show you "dirty pictures" or "dirty movies"

If a person tells you to keep touches a secret, this is a clue that you need to tell a trusted adult right away. The only kinds of touches that adults and teenagers ask children to keep secret are bad touches. Even if the person is threatening to harm you or your loved ones, you still need to tell. And tell about the threats, too!