Action Parents Should Take to Prevent Sexual Abuse of Children

Child abuse is without a doubt a parent's biggest nightmare. Many times, a tragic story is made even sadder due to the fact that parents had no idea that anything wrong may be occurring. Sometimes, the abuser is a trusted friend of the family, a relative, a kindly neighbor, or a volunteer helping out with a sports team, at church, or with any number of kid activities. Also remember that boys and girls are equally at risk, dispelling the myth that girls are in greater danger of abuse. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to take the following precautions to prevent sexual abuse of children.

• As soon as your child is old enough to understand, teach him about the privacy of body parts.



• Listen carefully when your youngster tries to tell you something, especially when it seems difficult for her to talk about it.



• Know who your child is spending time with and be very careful about allowing your kid to spend time in out-of-the-way places with other adults or older children.



• Make visits to your child's caregiver without notice. Reputable child care providers welcome parent visits. Regularly ask your child about his visits to the caregiver or what activities she did with her babysitter.



• Give your child lots of quality time and attention and keep communications strong.



• Check with your child's school and see whether an abuse prevention program is in place for teachers and children. Ask if there are workshops offered for parents about sexual abuse and warning signs. If there is not something in place, ask your school or the affiliated parent-teacher association to get one started.



• Talk with your youngster about sexual abuse. If there is a sexual abuse program planned, do the talk in conjunction with this and encourage your child to ask questions or discuss concerns. If not, make time and do it, but don't delay. Make sure your child knows that he should come to you if there are situations you should know about.



• If you suspect your child or someone else's child is being abuse, tell someone in authority.