We hear various recommendations about how to keep our children safe from being sexually abused. However, we don't often hear about it as a preventable public health issue or consider it from multiple aspects. I sought out Jenny Coleman, the director of Stop It Now!, to help me explore a 360° view of child sexual abuse prevention. We discuss the topic from 4 angles: a child’s, a parent’s, the broader community, and finally from someone at-risk of abusing. I fully appreciate including consideration of someone with a propensity to abuse in this discussion is controversial, and I welcome all feedback from listeners. That said, there is not an easy answer to child sexual abuse prevention and I personally believe if we are ever going to eradicate incest we have to be open to looking at all possible prevention, treatments, and manners to hold adults and society accountable. We will return to a featured survivor’s story next episode.

 

Our guest, Jenny Coleman, LMHC joins us to discuss child sexual abuse prevention. In this interview, she provides a brief introduction to Stop It Now!’s founding, mission, offerings, and helpline interactions as a safe place and entry point where people can ask questions and get help.  We then focus on child sexual abuse prevention from:

• A Child’s viewpoint including:
  • Giving kids the information they need
  • Healthy sexuality
  • Secrets vs surprises
  • Why we can’t depend on children to prevent abuse
• A parent’s perspective including:
  • Safety planning
  • Modeling behaviors
  • Paying attention to the behaviors of other adults
• A community angle including:
  • Need for a culture shift
  • Sex education in school / Erin’s Law
  • Need for training and awareness on healthy sexual development
• An at-risk of abusing standpoint including:
  • Holding adults accountable for their actions
  • Offering compassion and support while holding the priority of children’s safety
  • Partner prevention programs
  • Goals of interactions with individuals reaching out
  • Possibility of rehabilitation
  • When Stop It Now! reports

Please visit our website at www.tailofhebell.com for show notes and further information.

If you like our work, please subscribe, rate and review on Apple podcasts.

Feedback is always welcome appreciated…drop us a line at [email protected] . YANA!