We can’t go soft, the world is preaching ideas of Love and relationship that are leaving far too many vulnerable to abuse. We need to be preparing children to recognize abusers so they aren’t caught by tactics that are tried and all too sadly effective. Every human longs for Love, connection and safety- these are the very desires abusers uses to reel innocents in.
One in 9 girls and 1 in 20 boys under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault.
The Lifetime Prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Assault Assessed in Late Adolescence, 55 Journal of Adolescent Health 329, 329-333 (2014) David Finkelhor, Anne Shattuck, Heather A. Turner, & Sherry L. Hamby,
Predators lurk preying on innocence, using peer pressure, and the healthy desire for connection as food. it becomes our responsibility to prepare them, to equip them and to empower them to do more than heal, to swerve around them.
The Need For Awareness
The sobering truth is that abuse knows no boundaries. Sadly, it’s not confined to dimly lit hallways or nefarious settings. It can creep insidiously into the most sacred of spaces: the home, the school, churches and the wider community. According to statistics, a staggering number of children experience some form of abuse, be it physical, emotional, or sexual, before they even reach adulthood.
Yet, amidst the grim statistics lies a glimmer of hope: education. By arming children with knowledge, we can empower them to break the cycle of abuse and protect themselves and others.
Creating Protective Ideas
Education is the cornerstone of prevention. It’s not merely about imparting facts; it’s about nurturing critical thinking and empathy. From an early age, children should be taught about personal boundaries, consent, and respect. These aren’t abstract concepts but practical tools for navigating the complexities of human interaction.
Through age-appropriate discussions and activities, children can learn to recognize the warning signs of abuse: secrecy, manipulation, coercion. They can understand that abuse isn’t always overt; it can be subtle, cloaked in false kindness or misplaced trust. In other words, preparing children to recognize abuse entails understanding abusers well.
Enlisting Others In The Fight
Education doesn’t end at the school gates; it extends into the home, the community, the digital realm. Truth is, parents, caregivers, and mentors play a pivotal role in reinforcing the lessons learned in formal settings. Therefore they create open channels of communication, where children feel safe to voice their concerns and ask questions.
Likewise, the broader community—whether it’s religious institutions, sports clubs, or online forums—must be vigilant in safeguarding children’s well-being. By fostering a culture of transparency and accountability, we can erect barriers against potential abusers and fortify the defenses of our youngest members. After all, if we aren’t preparing children to recognize abusers, who will?
Using Survivor Wisdom
Central to the work to be done is to learn from those who have fallen into the hands of those who do harm. There is much we have learned from the brave souls who have seen the tactics up close and personal. We have not succeeded at helping survivors share this wisdom, in fact we have done the opposite. We make it hard, we victim blame and doubt them. Instead of gving them a soft place to land we have wounded them a second time. Let’s learn the lessons they so graciously have shared with us but not forget to give them the support they deserve. Here are some suggestions to make sure we don’t participate in making their healing harder.
Are You Ready To Protect Hearts?
We see the issues, we have a choice: to remain passive bystanders or to stand as vigilant guardians. How about we choose the latter? Let’s commit ourselves to the cause of prevention, to the task of equipping children with the knowledge and resilience to recognize and resist abuse.
This isn’t a battle we can afford to lose. It’s a battle for the soul of childhood—for the right of every child to grow up in an environment free from fear and exploitation.
Together, let us pave the path to a safer tomorrow—a tomorrow where every child is empowered to stand as a beacon of hope, a guardian of innocence, and a harbinger of change.
In the journey towards a brighter future, education is our compass, empathy our shield, and love our guiding light.
Are you in? Let’s Love Well or Not at All!
Kimie
Your blog is a constant source of inspiration.
Makes every keystroke worth it Freddy! You have no idea how much that means!
Kimie
Nice post 💖❤️💝
Blessed and Happy afternoon 🌧️
Greetings from 🇪🇸 pk 🌎
https://pkmundo.wordpress.com/
Shocking statistics. Glad you are bringing attention to this issue.
It is a sad truth but so worth being in the fight!
This is such an important, today’s kids are so involved with Social Media they don’t think about much else. A good parent is the one who takes the time to explain instead of sending their kids out in the world without those lessons. I am reblogging to my site, my followers will appreciate the information. Have a great day. 🙂
That means a lot! Hoping to get this account out to as many people as we can! Until we do a better job of preparing people to define Love and recognize it’s imposters, we can’t expect it to get better! Thanks thanks thanks!
Oh, the situations I was in as a child and teen. No one should have to go thru but we know there are no should’s in life, just reality. My. biggest fear is teens and social media. The way I explain social media is to remember you don’t know them no matter how much you think it’s real. So many kids get themselves in bad situations and sexual abuse may be part of their plan. So much of my rambling. Have a great day. 🙂
There is much wisdom in a heart that is suspicious of social media. We also know that there is a sad connection between early and regular pornography usage and intimate partner violence. There are many influences that are robbing our children of empathy for other humans, but the good news is, we don’t have to leave them alone in those influences. Thank you for being here .🤍
I don’t have children but have heard from enough parents and watch it on TV all the time, parents do not set boundaries as the child is growing up. Children also watch their parents on the phone or social media themselves. I look up to parents who monitor and limit the time the kids can use their phone, they can’t take phone to bed and their computer is blocked from certain sites. You can see I am very concerned about the dangers of the internet. Teens think they know it all or their parents are being too strict. I like strict when raising a kid. Kids are not learning to communicate which will have a big impact as they get older. So much for my rambling. Have a great day. 🙂
Very true! You will be a great parent!
I’m 60 so don’t think that is in my future. I had cancer at 28 and had to do a full hysterectomy. I told a Psychiatrist at 12 years old that I didn’t want to have kids. She asked why, I said I do not want to be like my mother. But if had kids they would say I’m too strict. Take care.
Interesting how our past does’t define us, but man- it can limit some of our choices. I am so glad you are here, you survived and are nurturing the world with your words!
Kimie PS- we are both 60:)
You sad it perfectly, we can’t let our past define us. It’s a hard walk but we have to keep walking in order to reach the other side. It took me a long time so I understand the struggle, thank goodness I had a great Psychiatrist and Therapist, not to mention my husband who has been there for over 20 years. I don’t know how he does it but I’m sure glad he does. Have a great day and thank you for the kind words. 🙂
Cultivating a circle seems a common thread of flourishing survivors – you are clearly one!! Bless you!
God helped me along the way and of course my Grandparents.
Amen to that! To God be the glory 🙂
amen to that kind of legacy!