10 Ways to Protect Our Children from Child Abuse and Predators

Abuse of children has occurred in every generaton since time began. No one really knows if there is more of it than ever before. However, 3,000,000 cases of child abuse were reported in the US last year. This is a substantial number and needs to be addressed. The news media has hightened our awareness of the problem, so it is time to increase our efforts to protect children. We will do this through educating ourselves about the problem and the solutions and by taking action. The following contains 10 ways to help protect your children from child abuse.

1. TEACHING CHILDREN SKILLS. Reporting the inappropriate actions of an adult is not as easy for a child as it might seem. We raise children to do what adults tell them to do. We also tell them to do it without questioning why. Sometimes what we tell them to do is painful, such as getting a medical procedure. We still expect them to obey. How is a child to distinguish between a painful medical procedure with which a trusted adult tells them to comply and painful sexual abuse with which a trusted adult tells them to comply. Young children cannot do it at all. As children mature, we teach them "good touch, bad touch." This is helpful for some, butnot all. Which adult to obey is still very confusing for many children. It is up to the aduls in a child's life to teach and monitor where a child is, what he is doing, and who he is with.

2. HELPING CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THAT DANGER CAN COME FROM SOMEONE THEY KNOW. We are good at teaching children to not go with strangers. However, predators are now using tactics like, "Your mother has been in an accident and she sent me to get you." Have a password that only you and your family share. That way they know that someone has been sent by you. It is also important that children know that danger may come from a relative, scout leader, teacher, or coach. The way to counteract this is to have a very good relationship with your children and discuss their activites with them daily. Let them know that if they are unsure of confused about something, it is always alright to ask you about it.

3. THERAPY READILY AVAILABLE FOR VICTIMS. All victims of abuse should have easy access to counseling services. School based mental health programs can make therapists more readily available to students when they are troubled. Adults should be knowledgeable about the signs that children are in need of counseling.

4. IF YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN ABUSED, WHAT CAN YOU DO? There are two main agencies that handle child abuse reports, the police and the Department of Social Services. Either agency can launch an investigation and pull in the other agency if needed, so you can call either agency. They will advise you what to do next. Once that is done, you need to get supportive counseling for your child. He needs to know that abuse is not his fault and that he will heal in time.

5. FOR CHILDREN TO BE SAFE, SEX OFFENDERS MUST LEARN HOW TO NOT REPEAT THEIR OFFENSES. Most sex offenders are released at some point, back into the community. Some never go to jail. There are treatments that make them less dangerous when they are in the community. There should be mandatory risk assessment and treatment for every convicted sex offender while in jail and in the community. The goal is "No More Victims." If there is no sex offender treatment in your town, speak up and make it happen. It is the best way to protect your child. I would rather have a sex offender in treatment and being monitored than not being treated and monitored. We can reduce his risk of re-offending that way.

6. IDENTIFYING CHILD ABUSE TO IMPROVE PREVENTION. Understanding the roots and characteristics of child abuse and child battery points us in the direction of effective prevention and treatment. A portion of adult child abusers and violent predators were abused, neglected, or exposed to domestic violence as children. Therefore, prevention of future sexual will involve efforts to stop childhood abuse, neglect, and domestic violence and treat the victims of these events. Insist, through your legislative process, that sufficient resources are put into protecting the children of your community from abuse, neglect, and exposure to violence.

7. SUPPORT RESEARCH INTO THE PROBLEM. We know a lot about the personalities of sexual and violent offenders through research. We know how to prevent some children from becoming perpetrators. We know how to assess risk of future violence or sexual offending to prevent premature releases. To not use what we know through research would be foolish and ill advised. You can support research into these important areas and the application of what is already known by writing to your legislators. Accepting anything less than the best, poses a danger to your child and everyone else's.

8. STREET CHILDREN. There are millions of abandoned street children around the world. They have to survive any way they can. Many are pulled into criminal and terrorist groups because they have no other way to feed, cloth, or house themselves. Ways to house, clothe, feed, educate, and provide health care for these children must be found. As some of these street children mature into adulthood, they will abuse other street children, become criminal, and be recruited by terrorist groups. If you want to stop terrorism in the future, Support aid to poor, unprotected children, wherever they are in the world.

9. PARENTS, EDUCATE YOURSELVES. It is important for parents to educate themselves on the characteristics of violent offenders. Know who is prone to violence in your community and don't let them supervise your children, whether they are youth leaders, sports coaches, the people that run the amusement rides, or others. Know the red flags to look for. Some very dangerous, violent offenders can be very slick, smooth talking, and very good at fooling people into thinking they are trustworthy, but there is always some little thing that is just a little odd.

10. PARENTS, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ARE AND WHO THEY ARE WITH? Help to chaperone school, community, and church activities for youth. There should always be more than one adult with any group of children. Adults should confront any suspicious activity of another adult. Don't just let it slide. It's difficult, but these things need to be discussed openly. Secrecy and difficulty talking about these topics are a child abuser's best friends.

This is not meant to add to the firestorm that is presently raging about sexual offending, but to start the dialogue about what we can do? We need to educate ourselves and take action to protect our children and, as you can see, there are many ways to do that.

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