It’s not a topic we like to think about very much, let alone talk about. And yet, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before the age of 18. As adults, parents and professionals, we are all committed to protecting children. However, we all feel a little lost about how to talk to our kids about the issue. Unless we have these conversations, our kids are not safe. Since we are spending some time on our blogs about talking with your teen, it seemed like we needed to tackle this area as well.
There are something called “body safety rules” that our children must learn. And we are the best people to teach them. But that means we have to get comfortable with the conversation ourselves first. As I looked around at what is out there, I came across a wonderful article recently about how to talk to your children about this issue. It’s based on a full book (referenced in the article), but I thought the author summarized the steps so well, I decided to share it with you. She discusses body safety rules and how to communicate them to your child. It’s a great resource. Just click here to read the full article.
It’s also important to know about child sexual abuse whether or not you are a parent. The Prevention Project of the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy offers workshops on Child Sexual Abuse Prevention. They utilize a curriculum developed by Darkness 2 Light. Take a look at the program and think about signing up for one of their workshops. You won’t be sorry that you did.