What can I do to learn more about how to prevent child sexual abuse?
Child sexual abuse prevention focuses on taking steps to stop abuse before a child is harmed, and involves education and parental involvement. That’s where the real opportunity lies. Parents and caregivers who make a commitment to speak up when they are noticing warning signs, instead of waiting for evidence of child sexual abuse, play a crucial role in a child’s safety. There are everyday actions that protective adults can take to prevent abuse and keep children safe now.
Healthy sexuality education as a critical way to prevent child abuse
Adults can make sure children have access to age and developmentally appropriate information about healthy sexual development, so that they are in a better position to practice safe behaviors and recognize when behaviors may be unsafe or inappropriate [1]. Additionally, working on a family safety plan creates a framework for both adults and children to practice and model safe and appropriate behaviors, and gives children the language to speak up when someone may be breaking a safety rule. And healthy sexuality education is actually a critical piece of safety planning.
Speaking up as a protective adult to prevent child abuse
We cannot rely alone on a child to prevent or speak up about unsafe or abusive behaviors, nor should they be expected to. It is critical for protective adults to recognize and speak up when they are noticing warning signs in an adult’s or another child’s behaviors. While we can’t know someone’s intentions, we can talk about behaviors that cross a line or feel unsafe and be clear about what the expectations are for the ways adults interact with children as well as the ways children engage with each other. Our Guidebook: Let’s Talk can help parents and caregivers navigate a conversation with another adult about their behaviors with children. And our Tip Sheet: How to Talk to Parents About Their Child's Behaviors can help safe adults approach a conversation with another parent about their child’s sexual behaviors.
Our prevention tools as well as our Guidebook: Prevent Child Sexual Abuse can help protective adults learn more about steps they can take to keep children safe.
Learn More
- Prevention tools
- Don't Wait: Everyday Actions to Keep Kids Safe
- Create Your Family Safety Plan
- Resource guide: Healthy Sexual Development
- Why Sexuality Education is an Important Part of a Safety Plan
- Guidebook: Prevent Child Sexual Abuse
- Guidebook: Let’s Talk
- How to Talk to Parents About Their Child's Behaviors
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References
[1] Schneider, M. & Hirsch, J.S. (2020). Comprehensive sexuality education as a primary prevention strategy for sexual violence perpetration. Trauma, Violence and Abuse. Vol. 21(3) 439-455. Doi: 10.177/1524838018772855.