School-Based Sexual Abuse Prevention Education

Programs

The Good,

The Bad,

and

The Ugly

Presented by

Rhonda Kane, MA, LPC ESC ECSC Francis Howell School District

Ellen Teller, M.Ed., LCSWExecutive DirectorThe Child Center, Inc.

636-332-0899

What is Child Sexual Abuse Prevention?

Programs aimed at keeping abuse from occurring

Programs aimed at empowering those who may be victimized

Programs aimed at empowering those who are protective of children

What's Happening with Child Sexual Abuse

Prevention? Community Denial of the problem of

sexual abuse Parents do not talk with children about

sexual abuse prevention (Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center of Rhode Island)

Only 61 % of elementary schools in the US offer some kind of child abuse prevention education (Donnelly)

Children of all ages can successfully make use of prevention skills

What Works in CSA Prevention Programs?

School-based, child-focused Successful, comprehensive sexual

abuse prevention programs need to teach certain skills and utilize specific teaching methods. (Finkelhor and Dziuba-Leatherman).

Only 1/3 of all sexual abuse prevention programs appear to meet the criteria for a "comprehensive" approach (Plummer)

Prevention Program “Don’ts”

Stranger Danger Good Touch - Bad Touch Don’t focus on only certain

“private parts” of the body

Prevention Program Quality

Revising existing programs to match current research on child sexual abuse

Multi-session programs Annual evaluations to assess the

implementation and effectiveness of programs

Effecting Change

Multiple sessions Training teachers Evaluation of programs Increase parent involvement Use a variety of approaches Stable funding source(s)

Senate Bill 54

Effective August 28, 2011

Amy Hestir Student Protection Act

Sections 160.2100 & 160.2110 of the Bill

Creates the Task Force on the

Prevention of Sexual Abuse of

Children. This act shall be known

and may be cited as "Erin's Law."

Governor’s Task Force

Must make recommendations for reducing child sexual abuse.

Must submit a final report with its recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, and State Board of Education by January 1, 2013.

Section 162.069

By January 1, 2012, each school district must include in its teacher and employee training:

a component that provides information on identifying signs of sexual abuse in children of potentially abusive relationships between children and adults

Section 162.069 con’t.

Have an emphasis on mandatory reportingTraining must also include an emphasis on the obligation of mandated reporters to report suspected abuse by other mandatory reporters.

Task Force

19 Recommendations: Community Based CSA Prevention (1 – 5) Professional Training/Technical

Assistance Multi-disciplinary Team Excellence Mental Health Services and Treatment Awareness – public Funding Statutory Changes

Community-Based CSA Prevention

Recommendation #1

Needs to be expanded and comprehensive in nature

Children basic/age-appropriate info Boundaries Inappropriate touches Language

Suggestions for Children

Bodies are private You have the right to decide about

touches NO-GO-TELL-KEEP TELLING Tricks (Secrets, Threats, Bribes) Not your fault

Community-Based CSA Prevention

Recommendation #1

Parents Become protective Observe and monitor relationships

their children have with adolescents and adults

Suggestions for Parents

Don’t force unwanted affection Listen to your gut instincts Know your child’s world

Community-Based CSA Prevention

Recommendation #1

Staff/volunteers in youth-serving organizations and schools Assumption that people who sexual abuse

children may work for them Create an environment that is

inhospitable for this Trained leaders Staff proper education to identify - report

Community-Based CSA Prevention

Recommendation #1

Community Community leaders/elected officials –

begin the discussion about ending silence about CSA

Advocate for policies and training Ultimately this creates cultural norms

to form protective barriers – identify and respond to problematic behaviors

Community-Based CSA Prevention

Recommendation #2

All schools/youth-serving organizations should have specific CSA prevention policies. Establish boundaries Minimize opportunities for harm Staff education

Community-Based CSA Prevention

Recommendation #3

Existing programs should include programming targeted at preventing CSA Most programs discuss only child

abuse, not CSA State and federally funded programs

could be mandated to address CSA

Community-Based CSA Prevention

Recommendation #4

Expand home-visiting programs to include CSA prevention Current home-visitation program in

Missouri does not include CSA

Community-Based CSA Prevention

Recommendation #5

Create and implement standardized training for all mandated reporters. Professionals

Licensing and credentialing organization require specific CEU’s bi-annually

Pre-service training MR training, Undergrad and graduate programs Majors/minors

Mandated Reporter Training

Dynamics of Child Sexual Abuse

Types & Process of Disclosures

Child Advocacy Centers

Role as Mandated Reporters

Signs and Symptoms

Schools/School Districts Parents

Addressing concerns Communities

Education and awareness

Resistance

Community Support

Community cooperatives – CAPE

All Agency collaborations

Community needs assessments

Children’s Needs Panel

Funding

State Local Foundations Corporate Donors

Next Steps?

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

References Finkelhor, David. (2009).0e Prevention of

Childhood Sexual Abuse. Future of Children, 19(2).

Wurtele, Sandy, School-Based Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs: A Review. Child Abuse & Neglect, 11(4), 483-95.

Wurtele, Sandy, Off Limits Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Manual Missouri Department of Social Services,

Children’s Division. (2010). Mandated Reporter Guidelines from Children’s Division.