KEY TAKE - AWAYS: How To Keep Your Child Safe From Sexual Abuse
Here are
some things that can keep your child from becoming a victim of
sexual abuse...
Don't
expect your children to be able to protect themselves. As
parents, it's our job! Maintain control over who has
access to your children and "be open" to the possibility that
someone you know and like might have sexual behavior problems
or, be a child molester.
Be wary
of people who seem overly interested in your children or who
don't respect boundaries. If something doesn't seem right,
trust your intuition and take action. Your children's
safety is more important than being polite.
Have a
family discussion about safety several times a year and provide
the opportunity/environment for your children to talk to you
about problems. Remember that it's good for children to be
assertive.
Teach
sexually respectful/responsible attitudes and monitor access to
sexually explicit material.
Most victims recover. Offenders can
never
be "cured," some can learn to control their behavior but most
should not be alone with children for the remainder of their
lives. Always report child abuse to local law enforcement
or child protection agency. Failing to report may enable
the offender to abuse another child and few avoid reoffending
without appropriate intervention.