Child Abuse Awareness & Prevention - Santa Monica Family YMCA

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IS AN ADULT ISSUE

One in 10 children in the U.S. will be sexually abused before the age of 18. Adults are responsible for the safety of children and adults should be taking proactive steps to protect children from sexual abuse. It is unrealistic to think that a child should be responsible for fending off sexual advances by an adult.

The 5 Steps to Protecting Children™ form a framework for preventing child sexual abuse. The steps will help you become aware of the scope of the issue, take actionable steps towards both preventing and responding to abuse, and create safer environments for the children in your life.

CLICK HERE to learn about the 5 Steps to Protecting Children

REPORTING ABUSE

Maybe you have a suspicion that a child is being abused based on something you’ve witnessed, or a child has told you that abuse is happening. Either way, it’s your responsibility to report it to the authorities.

Learn how to report suspected abuse > https://www.d2l.org/get-help/reporting/

HOW TO KEEP YOUR TEEN SAFE ONLINE

Keeping teens safe is hard enough in the physical world, let alone the cyberworld of social media, texting, online gaming, and online predators. But you don’t have to stand by and hope for the best—you can take action to help keep your teen safe as they navigate the internet. Learn about the top cyberthreats for teens to increase online safety for the whole family. Once you understand the types of threats lurking in the internet’s shadows, you can take action to minimize the risks to your teen.

CLICK HERE to learn more about internet safety for teens.

WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT, CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AFFECTS ALL OF US

The impact of child sexual abuse is devastating for survivors, but also affects those close to them, as well as the surrounding community. It is the root cause of many social and health issues and touches all of us in one way or another.

The health and social impacts of child sexual abuse on a survivor last a lifetime and affect us all socially and financially. The average lifetime cost per victim of child abuse is $210,012, costing the U.S. billions annually.

Learn more about the economic, social and health impact of child abuse > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bNCid0NjV8&t=41s

KEEPING KIDS SAFE FROM GROOMING & MANIPULATION

The greatest threat to our children doesn’t come from strangers. It comes from people we know and trust.

Grooming allows offenders to slowly overcome natural boundaries long before sexual abuse occurs. On the surface, grooming a child can look like a close relationship between the offending adult, the targeted child and (potentially) the child’s caregivers. The grooming process is often misleading because the offender may be well-known or highly regarded in the community. As a result, it’s easy to trust them.

Take a moment to watch the 2 minute video to learn more> https://youtu.be/q9lzEYLnMMA

BEING THE SAFE ADULT

When a child discloses their sexual abuse to you, it means that they trust you. It’s important to react in a responsible way that’s reassuring to the child.

Disclosure of sexual abuse means a child has chosen you as the person he or she trusts enough to tell. It is the moment when children learn whether others can be trusted to stand up for them.

Learn more about how to respond, support & report > https://www.d2l.org/get-help/being-the-safe-adult/

TIPS FOR TALKING TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

At any age it is important to help kids understand their personal boundaries and those of others. Once they hit their teen years, conversations around consent can help give your pre-teens and teens the skills and tools to understand what consent is, how to ask for it, and how to give or decline to give it.

Learn helpful tips > https://www.d2l.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Talk-to-Kids-Body-Safety_-JTM.pdf

KEEPING YOUR ATHLETE SAFE

With all of the parent responsibilities to juggle, what can parents do to make certain their young athlete is safe and thriving in the sports and coaching environment? Read the article in the link below to learn how to ensure your child’s boundaries are respected in an athletic setting.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Keeping Your Athlete Safe

TEACH KIDS ABOUT HEALTHY BOUNDARIES

Educating children about the importance of personal boundaries—and empowering them to speak out when they feel violated—is essential to healthy youth development. Yet, the topic of boundaries is one that many adults shy away from. Addressing child sexual abuse may be uncomfortable, but the truth is, it’s a too-common crime that we must constantly protect against. Statistics reveal one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused by the age of 18; and about 90 percent of sexual offenders are someone the child knows, including family members and acquaintances. The more we educate ourselves and youth about the red flags associated with child sexual abuse, the better prepared we are to prevent it. One easy but important way we can do this is by helping youth understand their personal boundaries.

CLICK HERE for some helpful tips to help start this important conversation with kids and parents.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSERS ARE OFTEN KNOWN AND TRUSTED

90% of children who experience sexual abuse are abused by someone they know and /or trust. 30% of victims are abused by a family member, and 60% by someone known to the family or survivor.

This doesn’t mean we should be suspicious of the people we know, but it does mean we should think about what kind of precautions we have in place. We have to hold everyone accountable for our kids’ safety, no matter how trustworthy they are.

CLICK HERE to view video

PARENT ENGAGEMENT VIDEOS

Parent and guardian education is very important. These videos review how abuse occurs, warning signs to be aware of, and how to respond.

Click on the links below to find Praesidium’s newest parent resource videos.

CHILD PROTECTION RESOURCES

Learn more about steps you can take to help create a culture of safety and prevent child sexual abuse.

BE AN INFORMED PARENT

As you are evaluating camps for your children, make sure to ask some specific questions of the camp to ensure the camp takes abuse prevention seriously. It is important to know how an organization keeps children safe.

Check out the 6 Key Questions a Parent Should Ask of a Camp