PREVENTION OF CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE

Author: IDRIS OTUN

While parent may have the biggest influence on a child’s life when it comes to healthy sexual development education and reducing the risk of sexual abuse, many adults (especially teachers) could also play significant roles. We all have the potential to be an important safety net for kids who are at high risk for sexual abuse at home. 

Child sexual exploitation can cause serious damage to cognitive, social, and emotional development of a child. Therefore, All adults and adolescents need to know that child sexual abuse is a crime that 

« often causes severe damage to children, 

« Could cause a life-long stigma and emotional imbalances in a child 

« Children can never consent to sexual activity.

A very common misconception about sexual abuse is that strangers pose the most danger to children. But research has proven that the majority of sexual abuse of children is committed by someone the child knows. Surprisingly, a sexual abuse can occur within the family (by a parent, step-parent, guardian, older sibling, or relative) or outside the family (often by a person well known by the child and family, such as a teacher or clergyman). Most research shows that no more than 10-30% of child sexual exploitation offenders were strangers. 

Child sexual abuse is devastating and has a potential life-long negative impact on child development. Short-term consequences may include: 

« difficulty focusing at school leading to lower academic performance, 

« increased need for special services, and difficulty with socializing. 

Long-term consequences may include: 

« violence, 

« substance abuse, 

« mental health disorders. 

From the aforementioned, It is obvious that a child sexual abuse and exploitation has no positive effect but negative consequences listed above. 

How can parents prevent these dirty and devastating phenomenon from happening? 

ü Be open with your Children: This is crucial step to preventing child sexual abuse. It is important that children learn about how all the parts of their body function and the proper names for their body parts. Make your child understand the difference between “privacy” and “secrecy.” Because sexual abuse thrives on silence, make sure your children know that they can talk to you about anything and you won’t judge or be mad at them. It is important to talk to your teen about a variety of dating topics, such as your personal values, expectations, and peer pressure. Be open with your teen about everything. 

ü Teach your Child 'body boundaries': Tell your child that their private parts are called private because they are not for everyone to see. Explain that mommy and daddy can see them naked, but people outside of the home should only see them without their clothes on. Explain how their doctor can see them without their clothes only because mommy and daddy are there with them and the doctor is checking their body. 

ü Recognise the warning signs of child abuse: It’s important for parents to know their children very well. A good parent should be able to distinguish when his/her child is moody and happy. recognizing the warning signs of child sexual abuse will help to respond and intervene as quickly as possible. Although children who have experienced sexual abuse may be too frightened to tell anyone, there are physical and behavioral signs that may be seen. Parent should be sensitive enough. 

ü Be A Good Example: For children, parents are role models. They adopt everything they’ve learned from their parents. Therefore, as a parent, it is your duty to set a good example at home and make your children adopt the best habits from you. Be a good example for them. Make sure you do not do anything reckless in front of them because you certainly wouldn’t want your child to learn that from you 

ü Supervise your child's extracurricular activities: Being as involved as possible in your child's life is the best way to guard against child molesters. Abusers will look for a child who is vulnerable and who isn't getting a lot of attention from his or her parents or will convince parents they are of no danger to their child. Show up at games, practices and rehearsals, 

ü Remember: that kids around 12, should already have gotten sex education, by their parents and told what everything means/is called. This will prevent a teacher/friend who is a child molester from taking the lead and teaching whole other aspects. Make sure your child already knows everything it needs to know, before it gets taught very different meanings of words or gets told that kissing/licking the teachers cheek is totally fine. 

ü PLEASE NOTE: children are innocent and unlikely to lie about sexual abuse. If your child tells you someone is trying to mess with him or her.... Please believe the child and respond appropriately. 

COMMON TYPES OF MOLESTATION 

· Defilement 

· Rape 

· Fingering 

· Making a child watch pornography 

· Exposing the genital to kids 

· Indecent touching 

· Fondling and so on 

Teach your child The *SRR* action. 

Ø S - Shout/scream 

Ø R - Run 

Ø R - Report 

...END NOTE

BE THERE FOR THEM! START SEX EDUCATION EARLY! THEY ARE SMARTER THAN YOU THINK! YOUR TEENS HAVE GROWN THAN YOU IMAGINED!

Author: IDRIS OTUN