CHILD SEXUAL

ABUSE

Prevention tips for parents
And
Others who work with children

THE VICTIM CENTER

417-863-7273

24-hour hotline: 417 864 SAFE

TTY: 417 863 1074

Child sexual abuse is the exploitation of a minor child to meet the sexual or emotional needs of an adult or older child.

Nontouching offenses may include verbal sexual stimulation, such as frank discussions about sexual acts intended to arouse the child’s interest or shock the child; obscene telephone calls, exhibitionism and voyeurism.

Touching offenses may include fondling; vaginal, oral, or anal intercourse or attempted intercourse; touching of genitals; incest; prostitution; and rape. Note: Missouri child abuse laws do not include all offenses listed above, however, other criminal statutes apply.

National statistics estimate that one in three girls and one in seven boys will have at least one inappropriate sexual experience with an adult before reaching age 17.

In 75-80% of child sexual abuse situations, the child knows and trusts the molester.

Children with disabilities are four to ten times more vulnerable to sexual abuse than their non-disabled peers.

Parents, teachers, daycare providers, and others who work with children can teach personal safety skills. Children should be taught that their bodies are their own, and that they have the right to say "NO" when it comes to issues about who touches them and who they touch. If children are ever touched in a way that is confusing or frightening to them, they need to tell someone about the touch. Children should be taught to:

Children need to practice saying no, getting away and telling someone.

The following are additional tips that can help you teach effective personal safety to children:

- Teach personal safety just as you would teach about fire or traffic safety.

- Teach children the correct names for body parts.

Teach children how to use body language. Have them practice standing tall and saying "NO" in a strong, loud voice. Help children develop good eye contact.

Teach children not to keep secrets from you. An adult can get away with abuse only if a child keeps the secret.

Don’t make children hug and kiss friends or relatives if they don’t want to. Forced hugging and kissing teaches them that they have to hug and kiss if an adult says so. Let kids have a choice about who touches them.

Assure children that most touches are O.K. and most people are good people. But if someone touches their private parts, or if they get a touch that scares them, they need to:

If children receive a touch that is not o.k. from someone they know (i.e. relative or a babysitter), they may not be able to say "NO" or even get away. However, they can always tell a trusted adult about it. Have them come up with a list of at least three adults they can tell. Emphasize that they should keep on telling until someone listens and believes.

Do not put children’s names in highly visible places such as jackets or backpacks.

Play "what if" games with children. These games help your child practice what to do in different situations, and can help emphasize that your child should always get mom or dad’s permission before going anywhere.

The following are some examples of "what if" games. Create your own situations that are pertinent to your family:

You are outside the school waiting for mom to pick you up. A neighbor drives up and says "Hi, I can give you a ride home." What would you do?

You are playing in your front yard when someone in a car drives up and says "I think I’m lost and I need some help. Can you please come over here and tell me where I am?" What would you do?

An uncle you like always wants to tickle you. Sometimes the tickling is fun, but sometimes you don’t like it. What can you do?

Your babysitter touches you on your private parts and warns you not to tell, or your parents won’t like you anymore. What would you do?

Your older sister always comes into the bathroom when you are taking a bath. When you tell her to leave, she laughs and says you are being silly. What could you do?

You are at the mall with your dad and you get separated from him. What could you do to find him?

Children become victims when… 

They are "pressured" into abusive situations by offers of rewards such as candy or money.

They are tricked or deceived such as, "This is going to be a game and we’re going to wrestle."

They are forced into sexually abusive situations through threats such as, "Do what I say and I won’t hurt you."

Child sexual abuse offenders… 

Molest children to satisfy their unmet needs for approval and recognition.

Molest children to feel important or special to a child.

Molest children to validate their worth as a person.

May be adults, older children or teenagers.

unexplained fear of a person or place.

extreme changes in behavior such as thumbsucking, bedwetting, loss of appetite, low grades, isolation and/or nightmares.

Inappropriate sexual behavior towards oneself or others.

Unexplained knowledge of sexual matters.

Vaginal or rectal bleeding, itching or swelling.

Torn or strained underclothing.

The child needs:

to be protected from further abuse;

to be believed;

to hear that you are glad he or she told;

to know that he or she is not in trouble for telling;

to know that it was not his or her fault;

that you will do everything you can to get help.

Make a report to the Child Abuse Hotline Call 1 800 392 3738 or your local juvenile office or law enforcement agency to make a report. Experts from these agencies are trained to carry out the investigation so that maximum information can be obtained while providing support and meeting the needs of the victim.

Get support for your child and yourself. Your willingness to seek counseling for your child and yourself, or to encourage counseling for a child you know has been abused, will significantly assist that child’s healing.

The Victim Center offers:

Individual counseling for your child

Group counseling for your child

Individual and group counseling for parents

Court and personal advocacy services

The Victim Center, established in 1976 as a rape crisis center, has developed into a comprehensive victim service organization. The Center provides a broad array of services to victims of violent and sexual crime in Springfield and surrounding counties.

The mission of The Victim Center is to provide:

prevention education services to help community members avoid victimization;

24-hour crisis intervention to assist victims immediately following trauma;

counseling for those who have been victimized;

support to victims and interfacing with police, criminal justice system, and medical personnel.