Category: Children and adolescent development and health

Do you feel as angry as I do when you hear yet another  news story  about adults, usually men, who sexually abuse children and adolescents? Almost every newscast on television reports a new incident, if not nationally, but here in my own community. And I don’t live in a high crime area.

Even assuming that some,maybe many of the perpetrators are mentally ill, the numbers  seem staggering.   I wonder, how can our society do better? How can we adults protect vulnerable children?

Thankfully, smart people are working on solutions but in the meantime all of us who have children, grandchildren or other children in our care must do whatever we can to be the first line of defense.

One mother’s story

This  article by Stacy Harrison ,who blogs at Revisions of Grandeur ,caught my attention. She recounts a time when her child might have become an abuse statistic but didn’t due to her vigilance as a mother. She thwarted a potential attack upon her son by

• trusting her instincts
• talking to her child
• disregarding stereotypes and
• being aware of where she was vulnerable

I encourage you to read her post and consider her suggestions for keeping our children safe.

Not My Child: Protecting My Son from a Sexual Predator 

“Sexual abuse can happen to children of any race, socioeconomic group, religion or culture. There is no foolproof way to protect children from sexual abuse, but there are steps you can take to reduce this risk. If something happens to your child, remember that the perpetrator is to blame—not you and especially not the child.”

At this link from RAINN, you’ll find some precautions you can take to help protect the children in your life.

How Can I Protect My Child From Sexual Assault?

“Stop It Now! has developed a warning signs tip sheet to help identify possible warning signs. Any one sign does not mean that a child was sexually abused, but the presence of several suggests that you begin asking questions and consider seeking help.”

Here is expert advice from the U.S. Department of Justice about

Recognizing Sexual Abuse 

You may want to bookmark this link to the National Sex Offender Public Website 

NSOPW

 

 

This post has been updated August 2018.

Thanks for reading and sharing this important information about protecting the HEART of our children’s health.

Please review my Share the HEART of health page for ways you can help children and adolescents.

Dr. Aletha 

 

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