Out of Harm's Way: A Parent's Guide to Protecting Young Children from Sexual Abuse

By Sandy K. Wurtele

This frank study authoritatively and objectively examines the heinous crime of child sexual abuse, explaining how, far from being the stereotypical “dirty old man” or pedophile, many child molesters aren’t so easy to detect. Without resorting to scare tactics or jargon, abuse prevention expert Sandy Wurtele describes how community members and extended family members might groom a child for abuse, gradually increasing the inappropriateness of physical contact. The straightforward information provided in this book will help parents increase their awareness of such grooming and discuss it with children.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Parenting Press
• Release date: Jan 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781936903207

Book preview

Introduction

When a prevention advocate asked if he could attend a neighborhood watch meeting to talk to parents about childhood sexual abuse, the group’s spokesperson replied, We live in a really safe neighborhood. There are no registered sex offenders living within miles of here. Our neighbors are all well-respected adults—many are doctors and teachers. We KNOW our children are not at risk for being sexually abused, so we don’t need this presentation.

Three mothers of fourth graders were talking over the recent news report of a male teacher being arrested for sexually abusing a student in his class. One mother remarked, We don’t have to worry about that happening to our kids—thank goodness their teacher is a woman!

Even though her daughter was showing signs consistent with being sexually abused, her mother refused to consider the possibility that the child’s baby-sitter, her maternal uncle, might be the perpetrator. Outraged at this suggestion, her mother claimed, This is my brother, not some child molester!

The parents in the anecdotes above hold some misconceptions about childhood sexual abuse (CSA) that could actually increase their children’s risks of being sexually abused. Parents can reduce their children’s risks of abuse by:

learning the facts about sexual abusers,

talking to their children about healthy sexuality and body safety,

screening children’s companions and authority figures, and

making informed decisions about their children’s safety.

What is Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA)? CSA occurs when someone uses or exploits a child to obtain sexual or emotional gratification or for financial profit (for example, by creating and selling child pornography). CSA can take many forms, ranging from exposing a child to pornography to oral, anal, or vaginal penetration.

How many children are sexually abused? Tragically, many children are victims of CSA. A 2009 study found that one-in-four women and one-in-twelve men in the United States remembered being sexually abused before the age of 18. Another survey of U.S. youth found that nearly one-in-ten children said they had been sexually victimized.

Although children of all ages are sexually abused, one-in-seven CSA victims are under the age of seven. Younger children are at greater risk of abuse by family members, whereas older children are more at risk of abuse by people outside the family. Sexual abuse happens to children from all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic classes, and in all religious groups.

Bottom line: CSA