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AWARENESS AND EDUCATION
Education is half the battle.
It is more than the common sense advice of
telling children to not speak to strange adults who approach them, or not
allow anyone to touch them in their private areas.
Education is an important part of prevention.
Education is more than leaflets, books and
common sense safety rules, though these are important.
We need positive communication between adults and children
about risk situations and a shift in attitudes.
A strong alliance between the community and the local police is
also important.
IT HELPS
Break through the individual and societal denial that child
sexual abuse is reaching
epidemic proportions and taking place in Australia and all over the world.
(The "head-in-the-sand" attitude tolerates and supports paedophiles objectives.)
Increase understanding and awareness in order to prevent victims.
Increase access for victims to resources for treatment and intervention.
ALWAYS BE VIGILANT
* With high repeat- offending levels,
low conviction, and lenient sentencing,adds up to
the system letting victims down and placing more
australian chidren at risk.
* Parents can't be around
to protect their children 24 hrs a day.
* Many Australian children will be sexually
abused in the future.
* In many cases the offender is someone known
to the child or childs family.
* If your child becomes a victim so do you
and those around you.
* Because paedophiles/sex offenders are highly
likely to re-offend again and again.
WHAT PARENTS can do to PROTECT CHILDREN -
Prevention Must Be The Priority
No advice is 100% effective or foolproof.
But awareness is the first step in protecting your child.
General
* Educate-
Make your child aware of sexual abuse.
The advice "Don't talk to strangers" does work to an extent but some
children don't see friendly strangers as a threat, and child molesters are notoriously
personable with children.
* A high percentage of victims are abused by someone they know.
* Teach your children basic sex education.
* Teach them that the areas of the body that are covered
by a bathing suit are private.
* Tell your children that sexual advances from adults are against the law.
This gives children the confidence to assert themselves with adults
who try to abuse them.
* Avoid scare tactics. Explain most adults would never hurt children,
but there are some out there who do.
* Telling your child once and forgetting about it won't help.
* Explain the importance of reporting abuse to you or another trusted adult.
* Stress that there should be no secrets, especially involving another adult.
Watch
* If your child
seems unusually afraid of a certain adult,
find out why.
* Don't say "give Uncle Jimmy a kiss" or "give Aunt Susan a hug."
* Tell your children never to go with or get in a car with anyone, unless you have given
them direct permission.
* Encourage your children to look at situations; to recognise
and follow their instincts.
* Spend time with your child.
* The lonely, attention-starved child is an easy target. Though all children are potential victims of sexual abuse, it is more common for
paedophiles to target children who are in search of
affection.
* Often one or both parents are absent; or the parents are present but give the child
little affection and attention.
WHAT KIDS can do to PROTECT THEMSELVES
Ask Your Child To Stick To These Simple General Rules:
* Say NO if someone tries to touch you in a way that makes
you feel uncomfortable,
then tell an adult you trust.
* Check in with your parents before going anywhere.
* Your parents should know where you're going, how you're getting there, who's going
with you, and when you'll be back. Use the "buddy system" when going places or playing
with other
kids.
* Get your parents' permission before getting into a car or leaving with
someone you don't know.
* Always check with your parents before accepting money or gifts
from strangers.
* Talk with adults about your problems and concerns.
To All Parents- You can never be too vigilant when it comes to protecting your child.
OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS
Police Checks-
* Relying on police and fingerprint checks alone is a mistake.
* Paedophiles sometimes molest hundreds of children before they are ever convicted.
A police check can only be helpful if the applicant has a police record.
Beyond that, it is unreliable and should not give any organization a false sense of security.
* Employers and Interviewers cannot easily spot a paedophile.
Unfortunately, Paedophiles don't wear a sign. If it were that easy, we
wouldn't need to be so concerned about our children's safety.
* Traditional employment screening asks for an employment and education history,
Concentrating on experience and skill level. References are checked, and
sometimes fingerprinting and a police check.
Volunteer screening often requires less. Child sexual abuse and other difficult
subjects are usually not discussed with the applicant.
* Routine employment questions are not enough. Fingerprinting and police checks are not
enough.
An applicant just wanting to "help kids" is not enough. Traditional interview and
screening methods are not enough.
* Always remain vigilant.
More information on Police Checks visit.
http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/policechecks.html
Sex Offenders- Name Changing
What You Can Do Before you enrol your child in child care or
any organisation.
Follow Some Simple Steps
Ask: How are employees and volunteers screened?
Screening should be comprehensive and include many
methods of assessing volunteer and employee character, ability to work with children, and
background.
Ask: How are employees and volunteers supervised?
Any organisation should
have a system of checks and balances. Beware of a wolf guarding sheep.
Ask: About the organisation's track record of keeping children safe?
Have there been any incidents of
molestation? If so, how they were handled?
THINK: If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
If an employee or volunteer
singles out your child, requesting to spend an
inordinate amount of time alone with the child, or lavishes your child with gifts or
attendance at special events, beware. There really are wolves in sheep's' clothing.
Molestation can be a single event, but more often it is a lengthy process which includes
gaining a child's trust.
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