How to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse

Properly supervising children is the best way to prevent child sexual abuse. Children who are not supervised well can become emotionally vulnerable and, in turn, fall prey more easily to sexual abusers offering affection, attention and friendship.

You can prevent child sexual abuse by becoming knowledgeable about the topic and by reporting any good faith suspicions you may have to the authorities. By becoming knowledgeable, you might be more aware of potential sexual problems in others, including young children and teenagers, or recognize inappropriate behavior by adults. You also might want to join the efforts of Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota in its organized efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect.

The sexual abuse of children must be stopped before it happens. Prevention actions include encouraging the media to inform the public about child sexual abuse, recognizing potential child molesters early and directing them to appropriate services, empowering parents to protect their children, and keeping chronic, untreatable child molesters away from children permanently. To truly prevent child abuse of any kind, we need to create a society that respects children, protects them from harm, and shows them how to treat others in a positive and non-exploitive manner.

What can a community do to prevent and treat sexual abuse?

People can advocate for well-trained protective services and police staff and training about cross-cultural perspectives on child sexual abuse. In addition, most abused children will need treatment to recover from the abuse. The community should invest in mental health services for these children. Also, the community should create public awareness campaigns about the causes and consequences of child sexual abuse as well as the need to report suspected incidents.

Source: Basic Facts about Child Sexual Abuse, Prevent Child Abuse America.

What You Can Do

If you suspect child sexual abuse, this may be a perfect opportunity to stop the abuse before a child has something to disclose.

• If you feel that an adult is being inappropriate with a child, you may want to talk to this adult about your concerns. You can let the individual know that the behavior is making the child and others uncomfortable and stress the importance of specialized treatment. Some people who have sexually abused have said that if they were confronted, by someone that cared about them, they might have stopped and looked for help.
• You may want to consider keeping a journal in order to document concerning behavior in an adult or a child. The journal should be specific, complete with date, time and behavior that warrants concern.
• If you suspect child sexual abuse, you may want to bring the child to an expert in order to obtain a professional opinion on whether he or she is being sexually abused. You should be aware that in most states counselors are mandated reporters and will be required to notify the authorities if there are grounds to suspect that a child is endangered. For information on specialized treatment referrals see our resource page.
• Finally, report anything you suspect is child sexual abuse. Without help, the abuse will not stop. To report, you can call your local police department or your state child protective services office (these numbers are listed in your local phone book).

Disclosure and Your Response

If you have a feeling that sexual abuse may be occurring, what can you do?

Step One: Stay calm and ask gentle questions. In a gentle voice find out what happened. Remember to stay calm and ask simple and direct questions – know that confusion, guilt, and shame of the abuse can create fear for the child. Do not try to conduct an investigation. Trained professionals can talk to the child in a non-threatening way.

Step Two: Listen to the child. Listen to what the child is saying to you and listen to what is not said as well. Simple statements such as “I don’t like that babysitter to come over” or “don’t leave me alone with those little kids” should be discussed further. If the child does not give you names, places or dates, do not suggest any.

Step Three: Reassure the child. Tell the child you believe him or her and you will do whatever you can to keep them safe. However, do not make promises that you cannot keep. The child may not tell you anything the first time. When they do talk to you, tell them they were brave to let you know what was going on and that you will be getting them help.

Step Four: Seek help. If the child was abused or may be abusing, there is help and support available to you. Contact your county social services office or local law enforcement.