10 ways to protect your child from sexual abuse

Sexual abuse is on the rise.

Everyday, there are stories of children being sexually abused by adults who are supposed to care for them.

From family members to neighbours and friends of the family, it is scary for parents to leave their children alone like it used to be in the past.

With so many recent publicity on sexual abuse allegations, now is the time to talk about things that parents can do to reduce the risk of their children being assaulted.

Now that we are more aware of the problem as a society, we need to take steps to protect children from further abuse. With this in mind, here are ten practical ways to protect your children from predators.

1) Encourage your children to talk to you about anything

Build trust by regularly talking to your children and encourage them to talk to you too about their day. Make them feel comfortable raising any topic. Then, if your kids report any unacceptable behavior by others to you, it is your responsibility to take action.

2) Become educated on sexual abuse

Did you know 1 out of 6 girls will be molested by the age of 18? Did you know that the typical sexual predator will assault 117 times before being caught? Get familiar with the facts. It is vital for you to educate yourself about sexual abuse so that you will be able to help your children.

3) Look out for red flags

Sex offenders often groom parents and children to gain their trust.  They can be very sleek and fool you into thinking they are trustworthy, but there is always a red flag that is just a little bit unusual.

For instance, if an adult has many toys and video games in his house and several local kids go there every day, this is a possible red flag. If he doesn’t seem to have any adult friends or activities, this is a bigger red flag.

4) Know where your children are and who they are with all the time

Know your children’s friends and their parents.  Make sure they are reliable before you allow your child to spend time at their house.

5) Discourage your children from keeping secrets from you

Secrecy and difficulty talking about these topics are a sex offender’s best friends. Let your children know that they can tell you anything at all. Let them know how sexual predators operate with secrecy.

6) Teach children that the danger may come from someone they trust

Tell your kids that bad touch is bad touch and no one gets to do it to their bodies. Tell them if anyone touches their bodies or private parts badly, they should come to you for help.

7) Find therapy for victims

All victims of sexual abuse should have easy access to therapy. School based mental health programs can make therapists more readily available to students when they are troubled.

8) Understand the signs of abuse

Abuse is not usually as obvious as broken bones or bruises. Adults should be knowledgeable about the signs that children are in need of counseling. These signs might be significant changes in sleeping, eating, mood, or strange behavior that does not quickly go away.

9) Take action if you suspect abuse

If you suspect that your child have been abused, you need to contact the Police where you live. These departments will investigate the alleged abuse and take the proper action. Citizens should not conduct their own investigations.

10) Support Research on abuse

You must continue to research prevention, assessment, and effective treatment of victims and offenders.  Those treating victims and sex offenders must be appropriately trained in the most up-to-date methods.