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Helping Parents Prevent Child Sexual Abuse

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Helping Parents Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Jetta Bernier's Guest Post to " Safe To Compete ", a program of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children http://tmblr.co/Zf7J_qu3U8w5  Efforts to prevent child sexual abuse over the past decade are showing results and confirmed cases are down. Yet still too many children - an estimated 1 in 10 - are at risk of being sexually abused or exploited. As a parent, you can be your child’s best protection. Here’s how. What’s a Parent to Do? Begin talking to your child about body boundaries and privacy by age 3. Remember, it’s easy, if you begin early and reinforce messages over time. Only allow those you trust to provide genital, perianal and bathing care for your child. Encourage children’s independence in personal self-care. Discourage co-bathing with siblings and adults. Introduce concepts of “OK” and “Not OK” touch. Avoid using the terms “good or bad touch.”  Children get confused by the notions that a