Preventing Childhood Sexual Abuse
How to Protect Children from Sexual Predators and Pedophiles
One out of every 6 male and 1 out of every 4 female children will become victims of sexual abuse before reaching adulthood. You can help to protect them. Here's how.
Imagine a group of ten children, six boys and four girls. It could be your child’s classroom, or a group of your grandchild’s friends. Two of them, one boy and one girl, will not make it out of their teens before being sexually abused. According to the Darkness 2 Light, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the incidences of child sexual abuse through public awareness and education, one out of every 6 male and 1 out of every 4 female children will become victims of sexual abuse before reaching adulthood. You can take action to protect children from sexual abuse. Here’s how:
Step 1. Know the warning signs.
Adults who sexually abuse children give behavioral warning signs. Be on the lookout for adults who:
Regularly hang out with children or in places where children, not adults, frequent
Do a lot of touching when interacting with children
Create a peer-level bond of trust with children (they’re a “buddy” not an “adult” friend)
Only want to be with children, and prefer not to interact with adults when they come near
Regularly gain employment where they have constant access to children
Step 2 Control Access
When parents screen the people with whom their children will spend time, they send a message to potential predators that they are alert and aware of the potential for abuse. Pedophiles usually won’t risk abusing the child of vigilant parents.
Step 3. Monitor
Many of today’s tech-savvy kids can overcome the parental controls on the computer, so it’s important not to rely heavily on “net nanny”- type software. Concerned parents should keep the online computer with in a room where they can frequently check the screen. However, the internet is only one of many places where sexual offenders try to meet kids, so it’s even more important for parents to drop in unannounced on their children’s activities whenever possible, and to frequently talk to the adults who have access to their children.
Step 4 Be Aware.
Listen. Children are very hesitant to disclose an adult’s sexually inappropriate behavior and they often have trouble understanding and verbalizing what has happened. Don’t interrupt, make eye contact, ask questions and listen carefully.
Believe. If a child discloses abuse, take them seriously. If a child reports abuse but is not believed, they may not risk telling again and they could continue to be victimized for months or even years.
Be alert. Watch for changes in your child’s behavior. Look for evidence of physical abuse such as unusual bruises and discomfort walking or sitting. Be aware of emotional changes such as unexplained anger or depression or sudden withdrawal.
Be prepared. Tell children about the “bathing suit zone.” Explain that no one should ever touch them in the areas of their body covered by their bathing suit, and touching there without permission is against the law. Teach children that they should never go with an adult to a secluded place. Encourage children to listen to their instincts and quickly get away from situations which make them uneasy; then tell a trusted adult about what happened.
Step 5 Communicate your concerns
Unfortunately, it isn’t until after abuse is exposed that many adults come forward and say “I had a bad feeling about him/her” or “Something didn’t seem right.” Responsible adults need to pay attention to their uneasy feelings and communicate their concerns before children are hurt. Talk to the person involved, notify their boss, and if you suspect abuse has already occurred call a child abuse hotline or the police. Caution, awareness and communication are the keys to ending childhood sexual abuse.
