Protective strategies

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TAKING STEPS............Ten tactics for parents to help protect children from Child Sexual Assault.

1. Talk. Keep communication open with children about a range of things. Let children know they can talk and ask questions about sex, death and the universe.
2. Trust your own feelings and trust your children's feelings.
3. Teach children to trust their own feelings especially about people. Tell them its OK not to feel comfortable with someone.
4. Do not rule out sexual assault as an explanation for "different" behaviour. You can always ask children directly.
5. Check out babysitters and other adults who have contact with or access to your children. Ask other people. If you do not feel comfortable with someone spending time with your child act on it.
6. Make it clear to children that there should never be secrets about touching.
7. Tell children that it is never OK for adults or bigger people to touch private parts or to ask you to touch their private parts.
8. Children need to know that some adults will try and trick/bribe them in order to touch their private parts.
9. Children need to keep on telling until someone hears them.
10. Remember that most children are sexually assaulted by people they and their parents know, trust and often love.

Sponsor

Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault

Disclaimer Copyright Updated: 15 Feb 2010