by the Editor     The figures on the number of children who are sexually assaulted each year in Australia are staggering. Research consistently suggests that around 1 in 5 children will be sexually assaulted – irrespective of socio-economic background, religion, race etc. That’s massive. It’s been described by some as an epidemic, but one we don’t really talk about. 

Bravehearts Inc has been working specifically towards the prevention and early intervention of child sexual assault for 11 years now. The silence surrounding this problem is something Bravehearts is dedicated to eradicating.

There is so much shame around this issue. Perpetrators need children to keep silent to allow them to continue offending, so they convince children that they are to blame, that this is normal, that if they speak out something awful will happen. If you think about how difficult it is as an adult to speak out, just imagine how much more difficult it is for a child who does not understand what has happened and who may not have the language.

Bravehearts is all about ‘breaking the silence on child sexual assault’. Bravehearts emphasizes the need to create communities that give a clear statement that the sexual assault of children will not be tolerated and that encourage survivors (of all ages) to speak out.

In order to prevent and effectively respond to child sexual assault, it is important to understand the dynamics of this crime. For a long time child sexual assault was lumped in the same pot as child abuse and neglect, but it is so very different. That’s not to say that we do not see abuse and neglect as just as traumatising and harmful – it’s just different and as such needs to be responded to differently.

For many, many years preventative efforts focused on the “stranger danger” message. While abuse and neglect nearly always occurs in the home and the offender is nearly always a parent or primary caregiver, child sexual assault is in 80-85% of the time perpetrated by someone who is known to the child, but not necessarily living in the child’s home – so a teacher, coach, babysitter, priest, counsellor, family friend etc.

The dynamics of child sexual assault are also very different. While abuse and neglect are often the result of dysfunction and in the heat of the moment, child sexual assault is nearly always pre-meditated, involving predatory acts of grooming, manipulation, self gratification and exploitation.

With the increase in awareness around child sexual assault, the main question being asked at Bravehearts is: “What can I do to protect my kids?”. A big part of this is stopping the grooming process and teaching our kids the very basic principles of personal safety.

For parents or carers, keeping children safe is one of the most important things we can do. To do this, we must equip our children with the knowledge and skills they need to avoid risky situations, and to give them an understanding of their rights to protect their own body.

The basic principles we need to teach our children (remember: it’s never too early to sow the seeds of personal safety) are:

1) To trust their feelings and to distinguish between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ feelings
2) To say ‘no’ to adults if they feel unsafe and unsure
3) That they own their own bodies
4) That nothing is so yucky that they can’t tell someone about it
5) That if they feel unsafe or unsure to run and tell someone they trust (and to keep telling until someone listens).

If your child has been sexually assaulted, know that with your support they can heal. Bravehearts says that the key to both stopping child sexual assault and to healing from the harm is being believed and supported.
If you have any questions or concerns around child sexual assault, please visit the Bravehearts website.

To help teach kids these important safety principles, Bravehearts has produced a suite of helpful tools, called Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure!.  The CD-Rom, DVD, and activity book all assist in teaching children to keep safe in a non-confronting, fun and interactive way. Developed by Bravehearts Inc, Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure! is the result of a collaborative effort with input from child protection experts, academics and professionals from Australia and abroad.

Mark your calendars:

September 7, 2011 marks the 15th annual White Balloon Day, a national awareness and fundraising campaign staged during Child Protection Week (September 4 –11).

Bravehearts and YourKidsEd have teamed up to provide YourKidsEd members with a 20-50% discount on selected items from the Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure! range, until September 30, 2011. 

Members, click here to login. Not a member? To register, click here, and then visit the Member’s Page once you login.  It’s free!