Protect children
Training teaches ways to prevent child sexual abuse
It has become too common of a news story: A pastor, a teacher, or a trusted authority figure is charged with child sexual abuse. The headline grabs attention and serves as a reminder that child sexual abuse is happening in every community.
One in 10 children will experience child sexual abuse....
According to the prevention organization Darkness to Light, one in 10 children will experience child sexual abuse before their eighteenth birthday.
The impact of child sexual abuse can be long lasting. Research shows that people who are sexually violated as children are far more likely to experience psychological problems, often lasting into adulthood, and are at greater risk for physical illnesses such as cancer and diabetes.
These facts are staggering, but there are ways to prevent child sexual abuse.
Everyone who interacts with kids should take a child sexual abuse prevention training. These trainings offer practical, actionable tips that adults can use to protect children. They teach how to recognize the signs and how to react responsibly to child sexual abuse.
For example, adults can make sure that there is more than one adult in every setting where there are kids; this reduces opportunities for an abuser.
The Ford Family Foundation’s Protect Our Children program administers a nationally acclaimed training curriculum, Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children. The free or minimal-cost training is available throughout Oregon and Siskiyou County, Calif.
Find a local training site at www.championforkids.us
