Views Of the Child Society   

Hello, 

Most, if not all of you know me or know of me.   I pretty much say it like it is.   I wrote a four part article for you to read.... or not.   I wrote it because I am in a position now to make a difference.   I will post the article in four parts, to be posted for the next four days.  

I hope that you will take the time and read the entire article and make suggestions or comments or even share your own experiences.

As you all know,  Views Of the Child Society     is an organization created to educate, enlighten and empower children.  

Staying Safe on the streets of Life - PART 1 OF 4

There is evil in the world. As children we are taught to fear the "boogeyman" and be weary of human strangers. We are given images of danger that are intangible and unrealistic. We are conditioned not to speak about certain things out of repercussion. The sad fact is that the creatures we have to fear the most are not imaginary beasts but real life people. How can one stay safe in a world of invisible threats?

There are more than 42 million adults in America who were sexually abused as children. Research shows that between eight to 20 percent of our children are abused every year. The immediate impact to a child is devastating and the long term impact costs society more than $35 billion annually. Child sexual abuse is linked to personal dysfunction, mental health issues, teen pregnancy, violent crime, substance abuse, and sex trafficking – among other issues. Now is the time to finally shine a spotlight on the much avoided subject of child sexual abuse. We must talk to our kids and our communities about prevention. Public dialogue about child sexual abuse helps shape better societal beliefs and responsible actions. The more we can talk openly about child sexual abuse signs or perpetrator patterns, the better we are able to recognize behavioral red flags and have the courage to take action. We should expect our youth-serving organizations to have policies that govern how adults may interact with youth. Further, these organizations must offer regular trainings, so that no one is left wondering what their legal or moral obligation is when discovering that a child has been sexually abused.

Q: I have just learned that a sex offender is living in our neighborhood. What should I do to protect my children?

ANSWER: It must be frightening to learn that someone who is known to be dangerous is living near you. Your job is to protect and empower your children without terrifying them. Irrational solutions that serve the sole purpose of helping you feel safer can make the situation more difficult. Telling children, "Never walk on that side of the street!" or, "Never sit on anyone's lap!" can cause them confusion and anxiety. Simply telling children what you want them to do in any situation in your neighborhood --and giving them the chance to practice -- is far more effective. Make sure that people who are supervising your younger children stay with them at all times. Tell children who are old enough to go out on their own, "Our safety rule is that you will check with me first before you change your plan about whom you are with, where you go, and what you are doing. Do not go into someone's house or yard until I agree that it is okay. I also want you to check with me first about when it is okay to open our door to someone." Role-play so children can practice walking away and checking first in a variety of situations. Include the opportunity to practice walking away from a nice person trying to talk them into coming close to look at something interesting "for just a minute". While feeling upset about what someone has done is normal, demonizing this individual will serve no purpose and will not help your children be safer. It is important to be realistic. Legally, this man has served his time and can live anywhere he wants. The truth is that most of the people who harm children are not registered on lists. This man is likely to be the first person suspected by authorities if a crime is committed. At the same time, people who have harmed others sometimes repeat their behavior. This means that you want to make sure that your children are never alone with this person, do not go to his house or into his yard, and do not let him into your home. If children living in the house where this man is staying are friends with yours, having them come over is fine, but you want to be aware of the possibility that they might have been abused. Children who have been abused who have not had help are

most likely to harm themselves, but they might do something abusive to others. Both you and your children need to be able to say "No" to invitations that would break your safety rules without letting embarrassment or guilt stop you from setting clear boundaries.

Staying Safe on the streets of Life - PART 2 OF 4

Learn Why others won't and don't always rush to your aid if you are under attack - and what you can do to make others help:

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