Child sexual abuse happens in every community and the costs are significant. We hope that you will join us in the movement from passive acceptance to the belief that “There is No Excuse for Sexual AbuseTM.”
In Orange County, CA where TAALK is headquartered, we had 4,974 substantiated incidents of child sexual abuse in 2008. This equates to an average of 414 children reported as victims of child sexual abuse every month and of course, we know that most kids don't tell.
A 1996 study sponsored by the National Institute of Justice summarized the costs of victim crime (Miller, et all., 1996). Using figures presented in this study and converted to 2008 dollars, it can be estimated that the immediate tangible cost of the average substantiated incident of child sexual abuse is $14,345. Extrapolating from this national data, the direct and tangible expense of child sexual abuse in Orange County for 2008 was over $71 million. This includes Child Protective Services involvement, police services, legal and court costs, forensic services and initial treatment but does not begin to address the cost of perpetrator incarceration, the long term medical and psychological treatment of victims or the cost to society in supporting consequences of abuse such as teen pregnancy, addictive behaviors and crime. And of course, there is no way to place a dollar amount on the human toll of child sexual abuse.
You may think this epidemic is too big for you to make a difference but prevention is achieved one child at a time, one day at a time and prevention is actually easier than you might think. When a child says they're going out to ride their bike, we remind them of the safety rules - wear a helmet and stay on the sidewalk. There are safety rules that you and your children can learn that will protect them from child sexual abuse too. It may seem scary to talk with your child about sexual abuse but believe me, it's only scary if you don't talk to them and we can teach you how.
If you have children in your circle of influence, we encourage you to be proactive about your prevention education - review and use the resources below, enroll in our awareness and education programs, actively communicate with other parents through our forums and in your local community, and become an advocate for children by joining your local community coalition.
Resources
Read the following resource pages for referrals to organizations that can support you journey to learn how to protect kids.
National Prevention Organizations
Awareness
We cannot change what we do not acknowledge. As parents and concerned adults, it's important for us to learn to recognize and acknowledge how child sexual abuse has impacted millions of children and society as whole. The link below will guide you to information about the prevalence and consequences of child sexual abuse as well as signs to look for in children and offenders. This information is meant to awaken your consciousness so that you can begin to see the signs of abuse more clearly and better protect the kids in your circle of influence.
Download an Awareness Package
Education
As adults, it is our responsibility to do everything in our power to protect children from sexual abuse. 30-40% of abuse is at the hands of a family member and another 50% by someone the child knows and trusts. Protecting children from people we know, trust and love doesn't come naturally, it's a learned skill. We encourage every adult to make a personal decision to get educated on how to better protect kids. Please do your part by taking action on all three of the items below. The kids in your circle of influence are counting on YOU!
Learn to Prevent, Recognize & React Responsibly to Child Sexual Abuse - Enroll in a Class
Subscribe to our Daily Prevention Tips
Buy & Read The Socially Skilled Child Molester by Carla van Dam-A Must Read for Every Adult!
Recommended Book List
Support
Talking comfortably about child sexual abuse and its prevention takes practice but the more you talk about it, the easier it will become. We encourage you to be a role model in your community and break the silence by talking with other parents and concerned adults about this epidemic and encouraging them to join you in learning to protect kids.
As you talk within your community, you will certainly have family, friends, neighbors and colleagues break their silence and disclose their own childhood abuse to you, possibly for the first time. If so, be compassionate, validate that it wasn't their fault and praise them for the courage that it took to share with you. Ask them where they're at in their healing process and if appropriate, help them get connected with resources - suggest thereapy, local support groups and prevention trainng to empower them and help restore their boundaries. Refer them to our website and our Facebook page for all the guidance they need to get started. Realize that you may have just broken a life long secret for them and lightened a burden that they have carried by themselves for years. This kind of discussion can release a lot of emotion but YOU may have been the catalyst for this survivor to finally begin their healing journey.
You may also come across people whose children have been abused and they're feeling embarrased, alone and don't know what to do or who to talk to. Please help them understand the importance of reporting to the authorities if they haven't already and how crucial it is for them to get professional help for their kids as soon as possible. Of course, please put them in touch with us as well through our website or Facebook as we can provide support and guidance to additional resources.
And lastly, children are more likely to disclose to adults who are aware and comfortable talking about child sexual abuse. If you have a child tell you they are being abused, it is so important for your first response to be that you believe them and it was not their fault. If your response is one of disbelief or you question if it really happened, they may never talk to anyone about it again. Your role is to provide a safe place to talk and get them the necessary help to protect them. Don't ask them any leading questions, just say "Tell me more" or "What happened next?" until you have a high level understanding of what happened. Then you should report the incident to your local authorities. Each community has different Social Services or Child Protective Services entities that handle child sexual abuse reports which you can probably find through an internet search. But child sexual abuse is a crime and you can always call the local police to file a report. As a matter of fact, even if you call your local Social Services agency, you should also report to the police as sometimes the cross reporting process between these organizations fails.
You don't have to take on the world (that's our job!), just talk to your family, friends, neighbors and colleagues openly about this epidemic and together we will change the face of this epidemic, by protecting one child and supporting one survivor at a time.
Recommended Book List
Parents and Concerned Adults Forum - Coming Soon
Subscribe to our Awareness Newsletter
Get Involved
As you increase your knowledge about how prevent child sexual abuse, we hope that you will become an advocate and actively participate in ending this epidemic. There are several ways that you can help below.
Make a Donation
Volunteer your Time
Join your Local Community Coalition
Schedule an Awareness Presentation for your Community
Schedule a Prevention Class for your Community
Learn to give TAALK's Awareness Presentation
Become a Prevention Training Facilitator
Start a Local Survivors Support Group
