Child abuse has been prevalent since many years; it is only now that parents are becoming more aware and are willing to talk about it. This increase in awareness has resulted in many parents now seeking the answer on how to protect children and the steps that need to be taken to identify child abuse and prevent it. This article will give you some tips on protecting your children from different forms of abuse and also educating them in identifying such abuse.
- It is very difficult for children to distinguish between right and wrong about a command given by their parents or other elders such as neighbors, relatives etc. They tend to assume it as correct and are unable to question it. However, we need to teach children about good and bad touch that would help them identify physical and sexual abuse.
- Encourage them to talk about any behavior by an adult that scares or confuses them. Teach them to say no to any unacceptable behavior by adults and run to get help from other adults.
- You need to tell your children that danger can come from any person including their friends, relatives, neighbors, or strangers. Children may get confused if a person who is known to them is abusing them, because they will naturally trust this person. Teach them to speak up when they think that any behavior by even a known person is confusing or different from routine behavior.
- Parents must have age-appropriate discussions with their children about acquaintances who behave differently and strangers who try to build a friendship with them.
- As a parent, you should be able to identify any changes in your child’s behavior and ask them about it. Many a times you will find that they were being abused. In this case, you will have to take them for counseling.
- If you have to keep your children at babysitters or under supervision with someone, make sure that you know the complete background of those people.
- Talk to your children about personal safety and tell them what to do if they get lost or are being bullied. Tell them never to accept any gifts or sweets from unknown people.
- When you visit crowded places such as a shopping mall or a fair, arrange for a meeting place with your children in case you are separated.
- Teach your children the basic “Yell, Run, Tell” rule in case someone tries to grab or molest them and to run towards crowded places.
- Teach your children your full home address and telephone number and make them learn it by heart. If your child is too small to learn it, put a slip of paper with contact information on it in your kid’s backpack or pocket.
Even after all these precautions, if your child is still abused you need to follow these tips:
- Take your children for counseling to help them cope with the abuse they suffered.
- Always tell the children that it’s not their fault if someone abuses them. This way they will be more open to tell any cases of abuse.
- Compliment you child if he tells you about any episodes of abuse and tell them that you love them.
- If your child tells you that he/she is being abused, don’t express anger or embarrassment; instead stay calm and deal with the situation appropriately.
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