TAALK for You is a program designed to help communities raise awareness of the child sexual abuse epidemic, educate adults on how to protect children and provide a safe place for survivors and their families to heal. TAALK will provide speakers for your events including but not limited to conferences, networking meetings, teacher in service training, youth serving organization training, PTA meetings, college level classes and recovery ministries. Call us at 1-888-808-6558 or to schedule a speaker. Current speakers include:

This 2-hour on-line training class will provide you with an understanding of the broad array of child sexual abuse programs and services found in communities around the world and how to research and document the existing programs within your community. One of the most important aspects of creating a successful advocacy program is to find a way to complement the existing organizations and programs rather than compete against them. It is both a better use of your time and creates an environment of collaboration from the beginning.

This 2-hour on-line training class will teach you how to locate and leverage existing events in your community to bring awareness to the child sexual abuse pandemic as well as your advocacy initiatves. Events such as professional conferences and community fairs provide a great way to gain exposure and make connections with people who would benefit from your awareness, education, and support programs. In addition, we'll discuss how to research and build databases of key community segments to target for program delivery opportunities - segments include schools, faith organizations, mental health professionals, parent teacher associations, sports leagues, etc.

This 1-hour on-line training class will show you how direct and indirect survivors of child sexual abuse can use their stories to provide crucial sensitivity training to professionals including therapists, social workers, law enforcement, attorneys, judges, etc. More often than not, professionals who become part of the system that handles the aftermath of child sexual abuse go directly from text book learning to live cases and never have a chance to simply talk with those who have been impacted.

This topic consists of two 2-hour on-line training classes which will prepare you to provide one-on-one support for parents whose children have been abused. This product includes the first of the two classes (Part A). The second class (Part B) is a separate product  .

This topic consists of two 2-hour on-line training classes which will prepare you to provide one-on-one support for parents whose children have been abused. This product includes the second of the two classes (Part B). The first class (Part A) is a separate product.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. - A seventh person came forward accusing Rodney Scott of sexual assault.

Detectives say it happened in June 2009 when the accuser was 16 years old.

Scott now faces additional charges of indecent liberties with a child in connection to the new allegations and received an additional $50,000 secure bond.

Your Guide to Protecting the Sexual Abuse of Children in Youth-Serving Organizations

Survivors are uniquely qualified to teach us how abuse happens and how to prevent it. Even more important, those who have had the courage to cross the bridge from victim to a place of peace can inspire and guide others to do the same. We will have the opportunity in this hour to experience the encouragement and wisdom of two such survivors as they share their stories of abuse and how they're advocacy work is making a difference.

Personal Starting Point
Each of us has a set of past experiences that impact how we feel about the topic of child sexual abuse. Some people know someone who was abused or they may have been abused themselves. Others may struggle with an attraction to children or the thought of sexualizing a child simply destroys their sense of a safe world. These are experiences and feelings that could create a lot of discomfort.

Best Practice #2 is focused on who has access to children. In Best Practice #3 you'll see our focus change to establishing boundaries relating to the behavior of those who have been granted access.

Now that you are used to either requiring or recommending adults in your community to take a child sexual abuse prevention training class, it's time to empower the children. Educating and empowering children to experience a life free from sexual abuse is a multi-step process that unfolds as they mature and includes the five key components listed below.

20% of the population in America has been sexually abused.⁽⁸⁾ That's more people than the Center for Disease Control estimates will get the flu each year.⁽⁹⁾ So needless to say, as you implement and teach others the Child Sexual Abuse Best Practices program, you will be talking with children, teens and adults who have personally experienced sexual abuse as well as parents who know or suspect their child has been abused. It's also inevitable that at some point you will be speaking with someone who is attracted to children, who may or may not have crossed the line and abused a child.

Child sexual abuse is predictable and preventable when we surround children with knowledgeable and outspoken adults and we all play a part in the solution. 
Predict: is to declare or indicate in advance; especially to foretell on the basis of observation, experience, or scientific reason.⁽¹⁾

There are over 39 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America.⁽²⁾

From them experts have documented time after time, behavior patterns that appear BEFORE abuse occurs. So, with the right training, we can recognize when children are in danger and put best practices in place to directly reduce the risk of abuse in our homes, neighborhoods and youth-serving organizations. Child advocates play a crucial role in educating their local community members.

An ordinary memory sits like a photograph in a family album. It’s always available to visit by thumbing through the album. A trauma memory is not pasted into the photo album; like getting lost in the attic of our mind, it goes into the unconscious. Dissociation happens when a trauma memory becomes a photo ripped into pieces and scattered across the attic floor. Join us as we learn about a powerful novel that has taken the dry discussion of trauma memories and dissociation and turned it into a powerful and moving experience of a young girl’s journey and struggle with dissociation.

TAALK first offered this child sexual abuse advocacy training series as part of their TAALK Chapters program which was based on a vision of launching chapters nationally but the program was not successful for a variety of reasons. Therefore, TAALK no longer offers this training with the intention of launching chapters or having direct oversight of the advocates who take the training, not even as volunteers.

That said, the training is deep and broad and we want the value of these courses to be available to as many people as possible, even though the formal program is no longer in place. So, we are currently offering the six topic (8 course) series at no charge to anyone who seeks to become an independent advocate in their community or just wants to learn more. We encourage you to take advantage of this valuable training!

I am happy to announce today that my first book 8 Ways to Create their Fate: Protecting the Sexual Innocence of Children in Youth-Serving Organizations is available. The official release date is April 14, 2015, just in time for Child Abuse Awareness and Sexual Assault Prevention month.

Child sexual abuse is predictable and preventable when we surround children with knowledgeable and outspoken adults. 

Take our free child sexual abuse prevention training!

Understand how the standard medical model of diagnosis often fails to heal patients by focusing on the obvious symptoms rather than the underlying cause. You'll receive an introduction to the idea of trauma-informed care and practice across service systems. 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - An Australian couple have been handed long prison sentences for sexually abusing, torturing and locking up their daughter for more than 15 years.

Sydney District Court was told the father used a number of sharp tools to rape and torture the girl.

The girl was tied up in a shed or a plastic box for up to three days at a time at the family's property in rural Northern New South Wales. She was first abused by her father at 5 years old.

There are eight child sexual abuse prevention best practices that we can use as a guideline for every adult to understand their role in the resolution of the child sexual abuse pandemic. While each best practice may be implemented slightly differently based on role, together the best practices provide a common vision and language across the community. Every adult plays at least one role - that of parent or concerned adult, while some may play additional roles.

We challenge you to learn all eight best practices for your role(s) because child sexual abuse is predictable and preventable when we surround children with knowledgeable and outspoken adults.

Click here to learn more about child sexual abuse prevention best practices for parents and concerned adults.

Then return to this page and click on the images below to learn about child sexual abuse best practices for the additional roles you play in your local community.

Become knowledgeable.

Be outspoken.

Learn how one non-profit in Australia is significantly impacting the child sexual abuse epidemic through their creative and highly visable public awareness campaign and how they have partnered with their local police to encourage disclosures from adult survivors which help the police spot trends of perpetrators that can be used in current case investigations.

Breaking the Cycle lays out one of the most powerful approaches to overcoming the impact of childhood trauma that I've ever seen. Dr. Riggin's unique method includes an analytical approach to emotional healing that makes it a valuable tool for any survivor but is especially useful for those who struggle to connect with their emotions. The easy to follow step-by-step format can be used by individuals or as a workbook for support groups. Truly a gift to the world!

This interview was recorded in September 2011 just weeks before Dr. Sandra Riggin passed away. Join us as we take an in-depth look into Sandy's revised book, Breaking the Cycle. She worked tirelessly in her final weeks to complete the book so she could leave it with us as her parting gift. We miss you and love you Sandy!

BROOKLYN - A prominent Orthodox Jewish school in Brooklyn agreed to pay an unprecedented $2.1 million to two former students who charged their teacher — accused serial molester Rabbi Joel Kolko — of sexually assaulting them, The Post has learned.

Kolko’s case marks the first time a New York yeshiva has paid off victims of sex abuse, experts said.

“This is unheard of. I am not aware of any other settlements,” said Rabbi Yosef Blau, a spiritual adviser at Yeshiva University in Manhattan and longtime victims advocate.

How does a good God let bad things happen to children? Where was God when I was being abused? Why didn't God protect me? Many survivors have asked themselves these questions over the years and in this segment you'll hear about the spiritual journey of three survivors who dared to ask the questions and listen for the answers. Join us as we embrace and celebrate spirituality as part of the full and joyous recovery from child sexual abuse.

Learn about the child sexual abuse epidemic landscape in Europe including the role of The Council of Europe, legal instruments being used to combat sexual violence, current challenges being faced including child pornography and cybercrime and examples of current practices in member states.

Gain an understanding of age appropriate sexual behavior, how to reinstate strong sexual boundaries after abuse and how children's empowerment and sex education programs can lower the risk of abuse.

On September 29, 2014, California Governor signs a version of Erin's Law, requiring the State Department of Education to prepare and provide a curriculum framework for child sexual abuse awareness and prevention training for children. The bill also authorizes schools to deliver such training but fell short of my hope in that it only encourages the state board to consider including age appropriate training, but does not require it.  Still a huge step in the right direction!

On September 29, 2014, California Governor Brown signed AB 1432 into law. This bill requires the State Department of Education to develop and disseminate training on recognizing signs of child abuse for mandated reporters. It also requires school personnel to be trained annually within 6 weeks of the start of the school year or new employment. This is another important step toward protecting our children!

TAALK is dedicated to equipping and empowering advocates all over the world to teach their communities how to reduce children's vulnerability to sexual abuse and to support survivors through the healing process. 

This six-topic (8 class) series is designed to provide people seeking to become child sexual abuse advocates a well rounded understanding of how to create an effective child sexual abuse initiative in their community. We'll discuss how to ensure success of your initiative through sound business skills and long-term relationship management.

TAALK began this child sexual abuse advocacy series with the intent of starting TAALK Chapters nationally but the program was not successful for a variety of reasons. Therefore, TAALK no longer offers this training with the intention of launching TAALK Chapters or having direct oversight of the advocates who take the training, not even as volunteers.

That said, the training is is deep and broad and we want the value of these courses to be available to as many people as possible, even though the formal program is no longer in place. So, we are currently offering the 8 courses at no charge to anyone who seeks to become an independentadvocate in their community or just wants to learn more. We encourage you to take advantage of this valuable training!

An advocate's completion of the classes does not permit them to represent themselves as a TAALK affiliate in any way, other than to say they have completed the training. We are working to create integrated testing within the training so that advocates will receive a certificate of completion for each course but as of this time, certificates are not available. We are offering these courses because we want you to learn from our experience so that you can be more effective more quickly in your own efforts to advocate for kids in your community. 

Learn the basics about the child sexual abuse epidemic including the prevalence, consequences, grooming behaviors, signs in abused children, what to do if you suspect abuse and your role in resolving the epidemic.

Best Practices to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse

TAALK has identified 8 Child Sexual Abuse Best Practices (CSA Best PracticesTM) as a guideline for every adult to understand their role in the resolution of the child sexual abuse pandemic. While each Best Practice may be implemented slightly differently based on role, together the Best Practices provide a common vision and language across the community. Every adult plays at least one role - that of Parent or Concerned Adult, while some may play additional roles.

We challenge you to
learn all 8 Best Practices for your role(s)
because child sexual abuse is predictable and preventable
when we surround children with knowledgeable
and outspoken adults.

Click here to learn more about child sexual abuse best practices for Parents and Concerned Adults.

Then return to this page and click on the images below to learn about child sexual abuse best practices for the additional roles you play in your local community.

Become knowledgeable.
Be outspoken.

Forty percent of child sexual abuse happens at the hands of a family member. In these cases, kids may not feel comfortable telling someone at home; talking about it at school let's kids know there are trusted adults outside their home who they can talk to and who will help. In addition, educating kids in school can extend the reach of vital prevention information that may not be being shared at home.

For most children, disclosure is the end of their trauma; for their family, it is just the beginning. The impact of sexual abuse on the family unit as a hold is substantial, particularly in the case of incest. We'll dive into the vast array of emotions felt by non-offending parents and discuss the practical aspects of getting through the initial crisis period and the months to come. We'll also look at valuable tools that allow non-offending parents to overcome the trauma and lay a strong foundation for the future of their family.

Child sexual abuse is predictable and preventable
when we surround children with
knowledgeable and outspoken adults and
we ALL play a part in the solution

Please become knowledgeable by taking our on-line training.

This course should be the starting point for all adults whether you are a parent, teacher, coach, clergy, medical doctor, mental health professional, attorney, judge, police officer, or day care worker.

This course (Part 1 of 4) includes an introduction to boundaries in youth-serving organizations as well as a deep dive on legal boundaries and on-site access boundaries. 

(Courtesy of Darkness to Light )

Below are statistics surrounding the issue of child sexual abuse. In presenting the statistics, the pages are organized by Prevalence and Consequences.

•  PREVALENCE is the percentage of the population that is affected by child sexual abuse; the general existence of child sexual abuse.
• CONSEQUENCE is the impact that child sexual abuse has on a victim/survivor and on our society over time.
• Sexual abuse touches every life when it leads to losses of trust, decreases in self esteem, and development of shame, guilt and depression.
• Sexual abuse touches every life when it leads to eating disorders, substance abuse, suicide, promiscuity/prostitution, and other psychological behavioral issues.

The statistics are shocking

• 1 in 4 girls is sexually abused before the age of 18.
• 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18.
• 1 in 5 children are solicited sexually while on the Internet.
• Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including assaults on adults) occur to children ages 17 and under.
• An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today.

Even within the walls of their own homes, children are at risk for sexual abuse

• 30-40% of victims are abused by a family member.
• Another 50% are abused by someone outside of the family whom they know and trust.
• Approximately 40% are abused by older or larger children whom they know.
• Therefore, only 10% are abused by strangers

Sexual abuse can occur at all ages, probably younger than you think

• The median age for reported abuse is 9 years old.
• More than 20% of children are sexually abused before the age of 8.
• Nearly 50% of all victims of forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, and forcible fondling are children under 12.

Most children don't tell even if they have been asked

• Evidence that a child has been sexually abused is not always obvious, and many children do not report that they have been abused.
• Over 30% of victims never disclose the experience to ANYONE.
• Young victims may not recognize their victimization as sexual abuse.
• Almost 80% initially deny abuse or are tentative in disclosing. Of those who do disclose, approximately 75% disclose accidentally. Additionally, of those who do disclose, more than 20% eventually recant even though the abuse occurred.
• Fabricated sexual abuse reports constitute only 1% to 4% of all reported cases. Of these reports, 75% are falsely reported by adults and 25% are reported by children. Children only fabricate ½% of the time.

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  Voeltanz, N., Wilsnack, S., Harris, R., Wilsnack, R., Wonderlich, S., Kristjanson, A. (1999). Prevalence and risk for childhood sexual abuse in women: National survey findings. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 579-592.
• Walker, E.A., Gelfand, A.G., Katon, W.J., Koss, M.P., Von Korff, M., Bernstein, D., & Russo, J. (1999). Adult health status of women with histories of childhood abuse and neglect. The American Journal of Medicine, 107, 332-339.
• Wiersma, N.S. (2003). Partner awareness regarding the adult sequelae of childhood sexual abuse for primary and secondary survivors. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29, 151-164.
• Wolfe, D., Jaffe, P.G., Jetté, J., & Poisson, S.E. (2003). The impact of child abuse in community institutions and organizations: Advancing professional and scientific understanding. Clinical Psychology, Science and Practice, 10, 179-191.
• Wyatt, G., Loeb, T. B., Solis, B., Carmona, J., & Romero, G. (1999). The prevalence and circumstances of child sexual abuse: Changes across a decade. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 45-60.
• Zierler, S., Feingold, L., Laufer, D., Velentgas, P., Kantrowitz-Gordon, I., & Mayer, K. (1991). Adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and subsequent risk of HIV infection.American Journal of Public Health, 81, 572-575.

Download Our Child Sexual Abuse Survivor's Self-Assessment

We have all been gifted and blessed in different ways but we have one thing in common – we are all connected and when one of us hurts, it hurts us all.

1 out of every 5 people YOU know has or will experience childhood sexual abuse

This violation often results in anxiety, depression, failing grades, substance abuse, promiscuity, teen pregnancy, relationship issues, job loss, divorce, crime, obesity, eating disorders, disease and suicide. The impact on individuals AND our community is profound.

We all have something to offer. We all have a way we can serve those in need. Some have time, some have talent, some have money, some have influence and some have their own story of victory after the impact of child sexual abuse. 

We challenge you to choose to be a part of our prevention efforts and the healing of your friends, your community, your nation, and your world. What can you give?

Time ~ Talent ~ Treasure
Influence ~ Experience

We have all been gifted and blessed in different ways but we have one thing in common – we are all connected and when one of us hurts, it hurts us all.

1 out of every 5 people YOU know has or will experience childhood sexual abuse

This violation often results in anxiety, depression, failing grades, substance abuse, promiscuity, teen pregnancy, relationship issues, job loss, divorce, crime, obesity, eating disorders, disease and suicide. The impact on our community is profound.

We all have something to offer. We all have a way we can serve those in need. Some have time, some have talent, some have money, some have influence and some have their own story of victory after the impact of child sexual abuse.

We challenge you to choose to be a part
of our prevention efforts and the healing of your friends,
your community, your nation, and your world.


Click on one or more of the images on this page
to learn how you can make a difference.

Time ~ Talent ~ Treasure
Influence ~ Experience

When crisis strikes how can we make the legal and recovery process as easy as possible for the victims and their families? We’ll have the opportunity to explore two successful models.

May 29, 2013 — Women who experienced severe physical or sexual abuse during childhood are much more likely to have a food addiction as adults than women who did not experience such abuse, according to a new study published in the journal Obesity. The study's findings provide valuable new information regarding potential causes and treatments for food addiction and obesity.

Raise your level of awareness about the risks of sexual abuse in Children's Homes and how history can teach us to minimize the risk. Also learn about extraordinary work being done to keep siblings connected when they've been placed in separate homes.

TUCSON, ARIZONA - A Cholla High Magnet School teacher accused of inappropriate conduct with a student has been arrested on a sexual abuse charge.

Eddie Rodriquez was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Pima County jail, Tucson Police said in a news release.

The Tucson Police Department was called to Cholla High School, 2001 W. Starr Pass Boulevard, on Monday where a 15-year-old student reported that Rodriquez made sexual contact with her while on campus Oct. 17.

Learn the 7 Steps to protecting your children from child sexual abuse and how several communities have utilized Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children program to educate adults on how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly.

A survivor of clergy abuse who is now a treatment professional for sex offenders interfaces with a recovering child molester through restorative therapy.

Child sexual abuse is a community problem... 

child sexual abuse preventionis a personal decision.TM

The most important personal decision you can make which will help protect children in your family and in your community is to get educated. So, we're grateful that you're on our site learning about the child sexual abuse pandemic.

Contact us by mail, phone, or complete the request form below.

Talk About Abuse to Liberate Kids
30251 Golden Lantern, E283
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677-5993
United States

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9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time
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Expand your understanding of the impact of child sexual abuse on boys and men. Male survivors will gain hope and be empowered to actively engage in their healing and others will learn how their understanding and compassion may be all that's needed for a male in their life to disclose and begin his healing journey.

For most children, disclosure is the end of their trauma; for their family, it’s just the beginning. The impact of child sexual abuse on the family unit as a whole is substantial, particularly in the case of incest. We will drive into the vast array of emotions felt by non-offending parents and discuss the practical aspects of getting through the initial crisis period and the months to come. We’ll also look at valuable tools that non-offending parents can use to overcome the trauma and lay a strong foundation for the future of their family.

We have seen story after story about predators in the place that is supposed to be our place of restoration and refuge -THE CHURCH. Truth is, the child molester has found sanctuary in the church because church goers want so desperately to believe that everyone who attends church is good, or at the very least has some redemptive quality within them.

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Gain an understanding of how chronic distress such as sexual boundary violations creates lifelong health issues by weakening of the immune, hormone and nervous systems and how the lack of reasoning around complex health issues stemming from abuse results in continued emotional disturbance similar to that of the original violation. Thus the importance of recognizing the connection between health issues and the underlying cause.

It's a normal and healthy process for children to separate from their parents as they grow up which means we can't always be there to protect them. However, we can teach them to recognize danger and empower them to use their voice in the face of danger and afterwards. In this hour we'll learn about tools that adults can use at home to teach kids about body safety.

Personal Starting Point
Each of us has a set of past experiences that impact how we feel about the topic of child sexual abuse. Some people know someone who was abused or they may have been abused themselves. Others may struggle with an attraction to children or the thought of sexualizing a child simply destroys their sense of a safe world. These are experiences and feelings that could create a lot of discomfort.

Best Practice #2 is focused on who has access to children. In Best Practice #3 you'll see our focus change to establishing boundaries relating to the behavior of those who have been granted access.

Written boundaries are at the heart of protecting children. Without them, every day is filled with a myriad of subjective choices that are far too often hindered by our emotions, opinions, relationships, and quest for personal gain (acceptance, security, promotion, raise, etc.). When boundaries are established and documented in writing, they provide a mechanism for objective decision making that applies to everyone who comes in contact with children in your care. No exceptions!

Flavia is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of multiple perpetrators including several men in her neighborhood as well as older peers. Flavia talks honestly about how her abuse happened and the reasons she didn't tell her family. She also shares the impact it has had on her life and her hope for all survivors. 

The guilty verdict for Jerry Sandusky is a great victory for those who have experienced child sexual abuse. Likewise, there is also a HUGE lesson to be learned by this case and many others. Public behavior is not indicative of private behavior. Thus, we as parents, must be watchful and discerning of adults with whom our children interact. Trust is earned, NOT given. Never make the mistake of assuming that teachers, coaches, doctors, neighbors, or even family members are trustworthy by the mere virtue of their profession, demeanor, or familial status.

So many mothers are feeling the devastation of losing their children as "the system" that was designed to protect them fails and even facilitates their abuse. Robin has so beautifully expressed the pain and helplessness I'm sure so many mothers feel. Thank you Robin for being so vulnerable and willing to share with others so they won't feel alone. 

PINE COUNTY - A former leader of a cult in Pine County has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting girls in his congregation.

Victor Barnard, 55, was sentenced Friday in Pine County District Court.

Earlier this month, he pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct as part of a plea deal. He originally faced 59 counts of criminal sexual conduct.

Increase your compassion and understanding of the impacts of pregnancy and childbirth on female childhood sexual abuse survivors. Survivors will learn to embrace childbirth as a transformational healing opportunity while childbirth professionals will learn how to effectively support survivors through this process.

TAALK has worked tirelessly since 2007 to create valuable tools to educate the public on the child sexual abuse pandemic including prevention and healing. We encourage you to take advantage of all we have to offer because your level of awareness and comfort with this topic could make all the difference in the world to the children in your life. They're counting on you!

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Best Practices

Through her extensive research and advocacy, TAALK's Founder, Diane Cranley, has summarized her learning into 8 Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Best Practices that help us more easily remember what we can do to protect children from sexual abuse. Diane has authored a book entitled 8 Ways to Create Their Fate: Protecting the Sexual Innocence of Children in Youth-Serving Organizations which details these eight best practices for this specific audience that serve youth in our communities. She has also written overviews for the following audiences in our communities:

• Parents and Concerned Adults
• Youth-Serving Organizations
• Churches and Faith Organizations
• Survivors
• Child Advocates

These overviews are a guideline for every adult to understand their role in the resolution of the child sexual abuse pandemic. While each best practice may be implemented slightly differently based on role, together the best practices provide a common vision and language across the community.

Every adult plays at least one role - that of parent or concerned adult, while some adults may play additional roles. We challenge you to learn about the eight best practices for all roles which you play in your community. Thank you in advance for joining us in the fight to protect the innocence of our children!

Child Sexual Abuse Expert Interviews

TAALK is committed to talking about every aspect of the child sexual abuse pandemic in an effort to educate the public and model what it looks like to talk about sexual abuse comfortably. There are people all over the world who have a heart for children and are called to protect them and help survivors of all ages heal. The following interviews provide a glimpse of what child sexual abuse experts and advocates around the world are doing to put an end to this pandemic as well as the damaging consequences. We hope you find them both informative and inspiring.

These interviews were recorded as part of two radio marathons we called TAALK-a-Thons. The first was held in April 2011 and the second was held in December 2011. We started each of these programs at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time and our Founder, Diane Cranley, followed the sun around the world, interviewing guest speakers for 24 hours straight covering a variety of topics related to child sexual abuse awareness, prevention and support.

You have the opportunity to learn from 96 experts, in 15 countries, who have the brightest minds and the biggest hearts. I encourage you to take full advantage of the opportunity by listening to as many of these interviews as you can, especially if you plan to be an advocate in your community. 

Child Sexual Abuse Survivor Stories

TAALK wants to empower survivors through the use of story. Survivors With A Purpose is a series of interviews with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. These interviews are designed to give the survivor an opportunity to share their story in a way that both empowers them and provides valuable insight to our followers so they can learn to better protect children.

Our hope is that each story will create a dialog, internally within your minds, as well as externally with your family and other community members. We want you to take the time to analyze each story to determine how you could protect the children in your lives from similar abuse.

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training

Child sexual abuse is predictable and preventable when we surround children with knowledgeable and outspoken adults and we ALL play a part in the solution. TAALK is calling all adults to learn about the prevalence and consequences of childhood sexual abuse and more importantly make a commitment to intercede on behalf of kids when they need protecting, rescueing, and healing. To show our commitment, TAALK offers free on-line training so there is no barrier to being part of the solution. Even if you don't have a computer at home or internet access, you can use a computer at the local library to take the class. Will you answer TAALK's call to learn?

Prevention in Youth-Serving Organizations

Your Guide to Protecting the Sexual Abuse of Children in Youth-Serving Organizations

Ten percent of students surveyed say they were abused at school – that is nearly 4.5 million U.S. students. That number doesn't begin to address the children who were abused in day care centers, boys and girls clubs, faith organizations, sports programs and other youth-serving organizations. Child molesters need access in order to abuse and what better way to gain it than to work for an organization that serves youth?

"Grooming" is a term used to refer to the process child molesters use to create an environment where they can sexually abuse a child without being caught and without the child telling. Child molesters use this process to establish trust, gain access to children, desensitize them to touch, develop an intimate emotional bond, isolate them from other trusted adults, create complicity, and maintain secrecy. Child molesters will typically groom children and their families for months, sometimes even years, before violating sexual boundaries. The process is identifiable, making abuse predictable and preventable.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Rick Goodwin was only 6 years old when a group of construction workers lured him into a vacant house and sexually abused him. Although he had a feeling something bad had happened to him, he didn’t tell anyone until many years later — after depression and drugs got the best of him.

Goodwin’s story is not rare for men to have, yet it often goes unsaid. Goodwin’s experience eventually set his course in life, as he now spends his days spreading awareness of male sexual violence.

Raise your awareness of how some offenders use an organized plan of sexual, physical and emotional abuse as well as violence as a means of controlling children and adults. Learn how one group of survivors and professionals has created a support group that provides victims of this type of severe trauma a safe place to heal and how you can use their model in your community.

GERMANY - A man looks with interest at the child sitting in front of him in the metro, as a voice asks off-screen: “Do you like children in ways that you shouldn’t?”

“Help is available,” adds the advertisement broadcast on German television and over the Internet, urging people who feel sexually attracted to children to join a unique therapy program called “Don’t offend.”

Launched some 11 years ago, the largely publicly-funded project by Berlin’s top university hospital Charite calls on pedophiles to undertake a treatment that helps them control their urges.

Learn how you can create a safe place for survivors of child sexual abuse to talk. Whether you're a medical professional, parent, sibling, friend, neighbor or colleague - you could be the one who brings a child to safety or an adult survivor to healing just by listening.

TEXAS - An illegal immigrant who has been serving as a youth soccer coach is now in jail after a long string of accusations of child molestation and sexual assault.

Soccer players in the small Texas community of Corsicana know Marcos Ramos as “Coach,” Fox4 News’ Allison Harris reported on Friday evening. However, it turns out the illegal alien from Guatemala is alleged to have long string of accusations of using soccer as a means to get access to young boys for sexual exploits.

The illegal alien moved to the United States several years ago and has been able to hide from officials while carrying out his alleged sexual assaults against children in at least two Texas counties.

Child sexual abuse can come in several forms—contact, visual, or verbal as detailed below. Child sexual abuse laws vary by state, but below are behaviors that are typically considered illegal. Even if a state's law does not considering actions such as prolonged kissing of a minor to be illegal, it is certainly inappropriate and should cause you to suspect that child may be being abused. Afterall, where there is smoke, there is usually fire!

The child sexual abuse statistics in the Philippines are similar to that of other countries, impacting 18% of their children with 50% of those children abused by family members. Since 1997, the Child Protection Network as successfully created a network of child protection specialists and opened 40 child protection units across the country that provide a child friendly environment using a multidisciplinary approach and networking to delivery medical, psychological, social, and legal services to abused children and their families. Join us as we learn about this successful and highly effective model.

Learn to Listen with Your Eyes 
for the Signs of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Many adults expect children to tell us if they have been sexually abused but that is a difficult thing to do. As a matter of fact, I call you to the challenge - the next time you're in a crowd, I want you to pick a person and then go and open up a conversation where you tell them the intimate details of your last sexual experience. For them to fully grasp what you experienced, you'll have to tell them in as much detail as possible, including exactly what you did, what the other person did, how you felt, if you had an orgasm, if they used any devices. Now just for a moment, in the midst of visualizing yourself telling this story, I want you to picture that you are 6 years old and your last sexual experience was with your dad. Does this help you to begin to understand why children rarely tell?

As children carry the secret of abuse for months or even years, it can have significant impact on them physically, emotionally, and spiritually and this impact appears as visible signs that we can see. This is why I am encouraging you all to learn to listen with your eyes!  Here is what you should be looking for. 

Physical Signs of Sexual Abuse

• Evidence of physical trauma: blood, swelling, or tears in the skin around the vagina, penis, or anus
• Complaints of pain or burning during urination or bowel movements
• Exhibiting symptoms of genital or urinary tract infections or STDs: offensive odor, itching, redness, rashes, blisters, or discharge in the genital area or the mouth and throat
• Stress-related illnesses: chronic stomach aches or recurring migraine headaches
• Self-mutilation: pinching themselves, burning themselves with cigarettes, puncturing themselves with pins, or cutting their bodies with knives or razor blades without intending to commit suicide

Emotional or Behavioral Signs of Sexual Abuse

• Anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, and signs of post- traumatic stress disorder
• Extreme fear
• Aggressive behavior toward friends and family
• Withdrawal from friends, family, or activities they previously enjoyed
• Fear of certain people, places, or activities
• Excessive sadness, depression, or suicide attempts
• Decreased school performance
• Eating disorders, loss of appetite, gagging
• Sleep disturbances, nightmares, and screaming
• Regressive behaviors, bedwetting, separation anxiety
• Numbing their pain with alcohol, drugs, or cutting
• Perfection and signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Loss of memory of certain years or large blocks of time

Sexual signs of Sexual Abuse

• Increased questions about human sexuality
• Excessive masturbation or masturbating in public
• Increased sexual play with friends, pets, or toys
• Talking about or acting out specific sexual acts
• Increased choice of sexually revealing clothing or covering up
• Signs of promiscuity
• Teen pregnancy
• Depicting people in a sexual way in pictures

Although your good sense may tell you not to believe rumors, according to experts in the field, it is important to realize that rumors are a good source of information¹ and what you hear from others along with signs of abuse in children are strong indicators that a child may be experiencing sexual abuse. Your response to seeing these signs can vary depending on your relationship with the child and how many signs you see.

At mimimum if you know the child, let them know what you see and that you're concerned for them. Tell them that if someone is making them feel scared or uncomfortable, it's okay to tell you or another a trusted adult. Tell them, they can even ask a friend to tell a trusted adult. Ask them to name five adults they could tell their deepest secrets to - parents, a teacher, a doctor or nurse, a friend's Mom, etc. Be sure to include people from inside and outside the family because you may not know where the abuse is happening. Help the child understand that they have choices and there are people around them who can help. 

While a single sign does not necessarily mean that abuse has occurred, if you see multiple signs, chronic signs, or major changes in behavior, it should be cause for you to suspect abuse has occurred.

Let’s look further into the word “suspect” so we are all on the same page. The definition of suspect is to “have an idea or impression of the existence, presence, or truth of (something) without certain proof.”² It is not up to you to prove that abuse has taken place before reporting to authorities. You simply have to have an idea or impression that something has taken place.

Former Deputy District Attorney and author, Robin Sax, says, “Reporting your suspicion is not the same as making an accusation. You are just asking the authorities to investigate the possibility that there may be a problem.”³ While the law differs by state, all states designate professionals who work with children to be mandated reporters⁴ and the law requires them to report suspicions of abuse, not just incidents where they have facts or hard evidence. Our hope is that every adult would consider it a moral obligation to report abuse, even if they are not required by law.

You should not rely on proof to get an investigation, you should rely on the investigation to get proof.

1. Shakeshaft, Charol. “Know the warning signs of educatorsexual misconduct.” Kappan Magazine, February 2013: 8–13. Charol Shakeshaft, “Know the Warning Signs of Educator Sexual Misconduct,”KappanMagazine (February 2013): 13.
2. Google Search, accessed August 5, 2014, google.com/search?q=suspect+definitionandoq=suspect+d efinitionandaqs=chrome.69i57.2763j0j7andsourceid=chro meandes_sm=93andie=UTF-8.
3. “Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect(State Statutes Current Through November 2013),” ChildWelfare Information Gateway, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2014): 1, gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/manda.cfm.
4. Robin Sax, It Happens Every Day: Inside the World of a Sex Crimes DA (Amherst: Prometheus Books, 2010),135.
5. Diane Cranley, 8 Ways to Create their Fate: Protecting the Sexual Innocence of Children in Youth-Serving Organizations (Mustang: Tate Publishing & Enterprises, LLC, 2015), 340.

India's huge population, vast demographic differences and socio cultural complexities present challenges to addressing child sexual abuse. Get an insight and be inspired by four professionals from varied backgrounds who are breaking off chunks from the rock of denial, diffidence, ignorance and paranoia which epitomize the context.

When the fight or flight reactions occur massively or continuously the normal balancing responses may be unable to end the continuous adrenaline rushes or life saving actions interfering with perception, cognition, and emotions appropriate in a secure environment. We'll hear from two experts in the field of trauma and learn how to end the overwhelming upset associated with past traumatic stress events in moments and bring yourself back to the here and now where you are safe to operate with a calm mind and relaxed body.

Police said that Anello abused the girl under the pretext of helping her recover from an illness with his spiritual 'healing prayers'.

Palermo, Sicily: An Italian priest was arrested on the suspicion of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl while performing an exorcism.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, Father Salvatore Anello, 59, from Palermo, Sicily was held on sex abuse charges and is suspected of molesting four women apart from the minor girl.

KITCHENER, CANADA — "I was in error," Justice Michael Epstein said. With that admission, the judge revealed he will now consider jailing pedophile Dan Magda forever.

It's the latest twist in a long-running case that has angered victims and shaken the justice system, while struggling to keep up with the law.

Learn about the growing demand for child pornography, the eminent danger of on-line predators, what the government is doing to combat these crimes against children and how you can use interactive games in your home and schools to teach children how to recognize potential danger on-line.

Join us as we explore a successful sex offender risk management model that results in lower incarceration rates as well as lower recidivism rates. We'll talk in detail about assessing risk, community notification, and community members' active involvement in sex offender supervision.

Discovering that your child has been sexually abused can literally snatch the air from your lungs and leave you in the fetal position gasping for your next breath as the tears fall profusely from your eyes. It is almost unfathomable that your child could have been violated in such a major way and you had no idea what was going on. The way you see the world changes forever; your perspective becomes filtered through the lenses of snatched innocence and an overwhelming sense of guilt. You question everything in your life including your parenting skills, your involvement in your child's life, and the people to whom you've granted access to your child.

Learn from our founder, Diane Cranley, why TAALK is committed to breaking the silence that surrounds child sexual abuse.

When crisis strikes how can we make the legal and recovery process as easy as possible for the victims and their families? We’ll have the opportunity to explore two successful models.

KINGMAN — A Bullhead City man serving nearly a half-century in prison for molesting a teenage girl lost his appeal Tuesday.

David Salcido, 42, was convicted in July 2015 on four counts of child molestation, three counts of sexual abuse of a minor and aggravated assault. Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen sentenced Salcido a month later to about 47 years in prison.

Salcido was accused of molesting and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in July 2009 in Bullhead City.

LAUREL - A Laurel man turned in by his girlfriend last year for molesting a young boy now admits that he did the crime.

Steven Ryan Wilson, 29, pleaded guilty earlier this week in Yellowstone County District Court to the charge of sexual assault.

Wilson admitted he molested a 9-year-old boy at a Laurel residence for as long as four months. His girlfriend walked in on the abuse and immediately reported Wilson to police.

If you're sexually abusing a child – please stop! 

We know that's easier said than done. Just as survivors of child sexual abuse need support to move through their healing process, we know you need support to move through your process as well. We also know that every time you choose to abuse a child, it brings that child into a very dark place AND continues your spiral into a dark lonely place that may seem hopeless and leave you feeling helpless. We urge you to get the help you need to stop this cycle that hurts everyone involved.

There are many things that make a child vulnerable to sexual abuse and we'll look at two scenarios that we can all learn from. First, we'll explore a coach-athlete relationship and how one pedophile used his position of power to his advantage. We'll also explore how some pedophiles travel to other countries where kids are more vulnerable. We'll discuss how in both cases, we can spot offenders' activities and protect kids.

Welcome to TAALK where we're breaking the silence that surrounds childhood sexual abuse.

As you can imagine and have probably experienced for yourself, child sexual abuse is a difficult subject for most adults to talk about, let alone the children who are its victims. As such we must begin with the basics and break the silence. In doing so, we achieve five key objectives as follows:

1. We raise awareness to the fact that child sexual abuse happens in every community;
2. We inspire all adults to learn to protect kids by participating in prevention training;
3. We teach adults, teens and children "the language of abuse" and open the lines of communication;
4. We help survivors understand that they are not alone and support their healing journey;
5. And most importantly, we put offenders on notice that we're watching and our kids are off limits!

Who will you talk to about child sexual abuse today?

Welcome Non-Offending Parents!

You are not alone!

If you have just found out that your child has been sexually abused, we understand what you are going through. We understand from personal experience how devastating it can be to hear that your child has been sexually violated. We understand the emotional roller coaster you are on, including bouts of despair, confusion, anger, fear, and guilt. We understand the stress and pressure of having to manage interactions with law enforcement, child protective services, attorneys, therapists, court proceedings, and your child's pain - all while keeping up with the normal routine of work, grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, bills, and homework. You may have even lost your income because your child's offender was the sole income provider. It may feel like more than you can handle, but you can. We have been through it and come out the other side and so will you. 

Best Practice #2 is focused on who has access to children. In Best Practice #3 you'll see our focus change to establishing boundaries relating to the behavior of those who have been granted access.

Written boundaries are at the heart of protecting children. Without them, every day is filled with a myriad of subjective choices that are far too often hindered by our emotions, opinions, relationships, and quest for personal gain (acceptance, love, security, money, etc.). When boundaries are established and documented in writing, they provide a mechanism for objective decision making that applies to everyone who comes in contact with your children. No exceptions!

Now that you have identified the four groups of adults and either recommended or required them to take the , it's time to empower your children. Educating and empowering children to experience a life free from sexual abuse is a multi-step process that unfolds as they mature and includes the five key components listed below.

Adopt Standards for Responding to Observed, Disclosed or Suspected Abuse
Child sexual abuse is a crime and cases should never be handled "in-house" or "within the family." Unfortunately through many high profile cases, we've seen the devastating impact of organizations attempting to resolve the issue internally. Over the years we have also learned that countless children were faced with a secondary betrayal when they disclosed and their parents decided to keep it within the family. In both of these scenarios, victims are not validated and provided an opportunity to heal; child molesters are not held accountable for their actions; and in many cases the offenders continue to have access to children resulting in additional victims.

Child Sexual Abuse is predictable and preventable when we surround children with knowledgeable and outspoken adults and we all play a part in the solution.

Predict: is to declare or indicate in advance; especially to foretell on the basis of observation, experience, or scientific reason.(1)

There are over 39 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America.(2)

From them experts have documented time after time, behavior patterns that appear BEFORE abuse occurs. So, with the right training, we can recognize when children are in danger and put best practices in place to directly reduce the risk of abuse in our homes, neighborhoods and youth serving organizations.

High profile cases are bringing child sexual abuse to the forefront in a way we have never seen in the past. It is clearly a pandemic that knows no boundaries including gender, race, religion, geography or socio-economic status.

20% of our children will be sexually abused by the age of 18(8) and parents are who grant access to their children. You are responsible for being proactive in your efforts to protect your children. They're counting on you!

At TAALK, we understand the grooming behaviors that happen BEFORE abuse occurs and have developed this program specifically to combat those behaviors. Although there are no guarantees, this program will take you, your accountability team and your children well beyond awareness and empower all of you with an extensive list of actions that will have a direct impact on the safety of your children.

Learn about the process, challenges and ultimate success of creating and marketing a new community child sexual abuse prevention initiative.

TAALK understands your concerns about privacy on the Internet and we take those concerns very seriously. We will take all possible measures to protect your personal information.

As we delve into the broad spectrum of topics related to child sexual abuse, Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA) remains as one of the most difficult. In this segment, you'll gain a basic understanding of what SRA is and the unique impact it has on its victims. You'll also learn to recognize indicators of satanic ritual abuse and how to provide a supportive environment for survivors.

• Los signos físicos
  • La evidencia de trauma físico en la zona genital o anal
  • Quejas de dolor cuando orina o hace del bano
  • Tiene síntomas de infecciones del tracto urinario, o genital, o enfermedades de transmisión sexual, tales como olor desagradable, enrojecimiento, erupciones o ardor
  • La automutilación (pinchando con alfileres o cortarse)
  • Problemas de salud asociados con la ansiedad, tales como dolor de estómago o dolores de cabeza crónicos

• Signos Emocionales o de Comportamiento
  • Comportamiento agresivo hacia los amigos y la familia
  • Aislamiento de los amigos, familia o actividades que antes disfrutaba
  • Ataques de ansiedad o ataques de pánico
  • Fobias
  • Miedo de ciertas personas, lugares, o actividades
  • Tristeza excesiva o depression
  • Disminución del rendimiento escolar
  • Trastornos de la alimentación, pérdida de apetito, nauseas
  • Trastornos del sueño, pesadillas, gritos, o sudor
  • Conductas regresivas, enuresis, ansiedad de separación

• Signos Sexuales
  • Aumento de preguntas sobre la sexualidad humana
  • Masturbación excesiva
  • Aumento de juego sexual con amigos, mascotas, juguetes
  • Hablando o actuando actos sexuales específicos para adultos
  • Una atraccion nueva a llevar ropa reveladora
  • Signos de promiscuidad

(Cortesía de darkness2light.org)

• La manera de como la familia de una víctima responde al abuso sexual lleva un papel importante en cómo el incidente afecta a la víctima.
• Abusó Sexual a niños que mantienen el secreto o que "revelan el abuso" y no son creídos están en riesgo más grandes que la población general de obtener problemas psicológicos, emocionales, sociales y físicos durante la edad adulta.
• Niños que han sido víctimas de abuso sexual son más probables de experimentar problemas físicos de salud (por ejemplo, los dolores de cabeza).
• Niños víctimas de abuso sexual reportan más síntomas de post-traumatico desorden psicológicos, más tristeza, y más problemas de la escuela que niños que no son víctimas.
• Niños víctimas de abuso sexual son más probables de experimentar un desorden depresivo mayor como adultos.
• Jóvenes Adolecentes que son abusadas sexualmente son más probables de desarrollar desórdenes alimenticios como adolescentes.
• Víctimas Adolescentes de crimen violento tienen dificultad en la transición a la edad adulta, son más probables de sufrir fracaso financiero y heridas físicas, y están en peligro de fallar en otras áreas debido a problemas de conductas y resultados del trato injusto.

TAALK is committed to providing our customers with exceptional products and superb customer service which is why we provide a 100% customer satisfication guarantee.

Sharing post from Safe Kids Social Media Court Watch...

PLEASE take just a moment of your valuable HOLIDAY time to do something sooooo important--help save a little boy by calling Judge Bonnie Crane Hellums. The hearing is in Harris County Texas tomorrow 9:30 am so there is little time SO PLEASE ACT NOW!

Just because child sexual abuse happened TO YOU, does not mean it IS YOU. Join us as we explore one woman's transformational yoga program to help survivors recapture themselves and the joy they deserve and another woman's inspirational short story entitled Sinlessness.

LOS ANGELES, CA - A former gymnast has filed a lawsuit against Gymnastics USA over the creation of an environment which enabled the sexual abuse of young team members.

Ex co-ordinators of the national team Bela and Martha Karolyi as well as doctor Larry Nassar are accused of hiding sexual and physical abuse which took place at their Texas training base in order to protect their own reputations.

The accuser has not been named but was part of Team USA between 2004 and 2010 and filed her complaint in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Nassar has not been charged but resigned last September after over 30 people accused him of sexual abuse during his time with the team, which stretched over four separate Olympic Games.

By Marca

Not all sexual abuse is between an adult and a minor—some sexual encounters are between minors. As a matter of fact, 42% of childhood sexual abuse is at the hands of another child^1,2. Sexual acts between two minors are considered abusive if there is a power differential between the minors. Differences in power include age, size, emotional maturity, advanced sexual knowledge, as well as forcing, threatening, bribing, coercing, or insisting their behavior be kept secret.

Remember……awareness is the key!!!

Many adults expect children to tell us if they have been sexually abused but that is a difficult thing to do. As a matter of fact, I call you to the challenge...the next time you're in a crowd, I want you to pick a person and then go and open a conversation where you tell them the intimate details of your last sexual experience. For them to fully grasp what you experienced, you'll have to tell them in as much detail as possible including exactly what you did, what the other person did, how you felt, if you had an orgasm, if they used any devices. Now just for a moment, in the midst of visualizing yourself telling this story, I want you to picture that you are 6 years old and the last sexual experience you had was with your father. Does this help you to begin to understand why children rarely tell?

The Ace Study showed that one third of the population being studied experienced at least one category of childhood trauma. If any one category was experienced, there was an 87% chance that at least one additional category was present. One in six individuals in the study experienced 4 or more categories of childhood trauma and one in nine experienced 5 or more categories. Join us as we learn from a victim of multiple types of abuse what childhood was really like, how it impacted him as an adult and how he has triumphantly overcome his past.

June 1, 2013 — Different forms of childhood abuse increase the risk for mental illness as well as sexual dysfunction in adulthood, but little has been known about how that happens. An international team of researchers, including the Miller School's Charles B. Nemeroff, M.D., Ph.D., Leonard M. Miller Professor and Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, has discovered a neural basis for this association. The study, published in the June 1 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, shows that sexually abused and emotionally mistreated children exhibit specific and differential changes in the architecture of their brain that reflect the nature of the mistreatment.

How do you help your children tell when they don't have the words?

In this segment you'll be deeply inspired by the actions of a "bystander" willing to step up and be the voice for an innocent child. You'll also learn how this bystander took her call to protect a single child and married with her extensive experience in TV and film to create a documentary that shares the real life stories of survivors healing.

Welcome from the TAALK community of survivors!

Healing can be a long road and we want you to know you're not alone. As a matter of fact, experts estimate there are over 42 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America with similar statistics in other countries around the world. Many of them, probably most of them, have never broken the silence.

There are survivors in your community, probably on your street, maybe even in your home. But you'll never know who they are until you give yourself permission to talk about it. Breaking the silence will empower you to heal and inspire others to do the same.

This episode of Survivors With a Purpose (SWAP) includes Flavia Mouroulis' powerful story of overcoming the sexual abuse of multiple perpetrators to go on to raise her own beautiful children.

This episode of Survivors With a Purpose (SWAP) features Jamie Romo's inspiring story of overcoming clergy sexual abuse, his journey to spiritual wholeness, and the results of his journey in his book Healing the Sexually Abused Heart.

Best Practice #2 is focused on who we spend our time with. In Best Practice #3 you'll see our focus change to establishing boundaries relating to the behavior of those who we have chosen to be with, as well as our own behavior.

Remember in the dark what you decided in the light.

You are not alone

There are over 39 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America(2)

There is no shortage of people who personally understand the impact of child sexual abuse. However, our community and individual silence serves to isolate us and may keep us from acknowledging the real impact; and from gaining the strength, resources and support we need to heal. But together we have a chance to experience freedom from our past and become truly whole!

High profile cases are bringing child sexual abuse to the forefront in a way we have never seen in the past. It is clearly a pandemic that knows no boundaries including gender, race, religion, geography or socio-economic status. These cases are creating a unique opportunity for all survivors, young and old, to step forward and break their silence. Are you ready to take advantage of the opportunity?

Remember, your part in the resolution of the child sexual abuse pandemic is to heal. While it may seem self-serving initially, know that as you heal, you will be part of creating a future without abuse for your family, your community, your nation and the world. Our kids are counting on us all to do our part. Our kids are counting on you to heal and teach others through your story!

Survivors With A Purpose is a series of interviews with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. These interviews are designed to give the survivor an opportunity to share their story in a way that both empowers them and provides valuable insight to our listeners so they can learn to better protect children. 

Our hope is that each story will create a dialog, internally within your minds, as well as externally with your family and other community members. We want you to take the time to analyze each story to determine how you could protect the children in your lives from similar abuse.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - A Swedish court has sentenced a 47-year-old man to seven years' imprisonment for the aggravated sexual abuse of more than 100 under-aged girls via chatrooms, in the largest case of its kind in the Scandinavian country.

The Boras District Court said Friday the man, who was not identified, posed as a young woman or man to contact 114 girls via social media and convinced them to perform explicit sexual acts for him via their webcams.

TIP:
When your child needs a medical test done such as an X-ray, CT or MRI, insist on one of the following: 1) being in the room, 2) leaving the door open and being just outside the door or 3) if there is a viewing window, stay where you can clearly see your child. Don't allow the technician to tell you that you can't stay due to exposure. There's no reason why you can't stand with the technician.

TIP:
When your child is invited to spend time or have a sleepover at a new friend's house, find out the names of all the adults who live in the house. Then take the time to look for each of them on the National Sex Offender's Registry http://www.nsopr.gov/.

TIP:
When hiring a babysitter, consider hiring a young girl instead of a boy. This will not eliminate the risk but it will minimize the risk because research has shown that 1) 94% of childhood sexual abuse is perpetrated by males, 2) Juvenile offenders are responsible for 48% of babysitter sex crimes known to police and 3) Males constitute 77% of the sex-offending babysitters reported to the police.

Learn about programs you can use in your community to teach kids, from preschool to middle school, about child sexual abuse safety and hear from experts who have had proven success in their communities.

In this moving dialog, we'll explore the statistics of mother-daughter sexual abuse and the unique impact of trauma experienced within the process of maternal nurturing. We'll also discuss the psychological profile of maternal abusers and the myths that may keep us from identifying and effectively intervening in cases of mother-daughter abuse.

Gain an understanding of the proven connection between childhood trauma and health issues including brain development and addictive illness disorders.

In this hour, we'll discuss the current state of the child sexual abuse pandemic in Hong Kong and the unique cultural pressures that feed the problem. In addition, we'll learn about the great strides they're making in healing survivors through a variety of approaches including music, art and drama therapy. 

There's no better way to understand the impact of child sexual abuse than to experience the pain and healing through the angelic voice of a survivor. You will be moved to anger and to tears as you join Cici on her journey, as she shares it with you through song.

Learn how your understanding and critical analysis of public policy and community practices for handling offenders directly impacts your community's ability to protect children.

In this segment, we will focus on how New Zealanders have created a national network for addressing sexual violence which incorporates indigenous and non-indigenous community members in the prevention effort.

Sensationalized story of stranger danger? A true reflection of the impact of abuse by our inner circle? Or a focus on prevention? - What does the media portray? The Berkeley Media Studies Group researched a specific period in time to see what the media was writing about with regards to child sexual abuse and we'll talk with the lead researcher to understand her findings and discuss the impact of those findings.

In this segment we'll discuss a variety of tools available to help adults who are concerned about their own thoughts of inappropriate behavior toward children or the behavior of others. We'll learn about what people need in order to overcome their fear and face the fact that a friend or loved one may be hurting a child.

Learn about the great strides being made in Israel in the area of both child sexual abuse prevention and treatment as well as the challenges they have overcome and continue to face in the area of program responsibility, funding and offender management.

Expand your vision of child sexual abuse prevention by understanding what causes people to offend and acquire practical early detection screening tools for parents, teachers, counselors, and physicians.

The legal process that surrounds child sexual abuse cases can be overwhelming to say the least. What is the legal process after your child discloses and you report? What kind of evidence does the District Attorney need to file charges? What are the statute of limitations for adult survivors? What are your rights as a victim in the criminal court process? Can you sue your perpetrator or the organization they worked for in civil court? Join us as we explore the legal aspects of sexual abuse cases with a formal prosecutor and a criminal lawyer who specializes in victim’s rights and the trial attorney who represents abuse victims in civil court.

1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys 
will be sexually abused
before the age of 18 

That's 20% of our population!

LOS ANGELES, CA - Are all the allegations just made up? Long after his death, accusations of child molestation continue to dog Michael Jackson’s legacy. This time, a new victim claims that the King of Pop paid her $900,000 to buy her silence. And there are checks to prove it.

Was Michael Jackson just a dirty pedophile who got away with it? Did the King of Pop abuse his celebrity power to repeatedly coerce and silence victims?

Those ugly questions are now surfacing again, thanks to another child molestation accusation. The latest lawsuit, filed this week, comes from a woman who claims that she was sexually molested as a young girl in the 80s and 90s.

GREENVILLE, KENTUCKY - A Muhlenberg County man is arrested on child sex abuse charges. Kentucky State Police arrested 48-year-old Jesse Graham on Thursday.

He faces two counts of 1st Degree Sodomy on a victim under the age of 12 and two counts of 1st Degree Sexual Abuse.

State Police are asking anyone with additional information on the case to contact them at (270) 676-3313.

By Tristate Homepage.com

The sexual abuser/pedophile/molester/predator often looks and acts just like everybody else. We often have this vision of the creepy man in a trench-coat who lurks around unassumingly or the perverted looking guy who drives the ice cream truck. However, while some predators may in fact look like those characters, most often, the predator is a "normal looking" member of society. They may even be well respected members of their community. Typically, they are likable individuals who work everyday and would by all accounts be classified as an all-around "nice guy" if we surveyed their neighbors, friends, and family.

Registration is now open: What Is Your Big Idea to End Violence Against Women Online Event taking place December 1st from 7p - 9p CT. This is a FREE online event! Details below.

In her bookThe Socially Skilled Child Molester, Dr. Carla van Dam states that "Child molesters [also] gravitate to those people who are most likely to be too polite to fend them off, too shy and anxious to tell them to leave, too dependent to be assertive, and too impressed by rank, power, status or money to do the right thing.

We’ll spend the next hour exploring the residential healing program by the Heal For Life Foundation in Australia. Their unique and affordable retreats provide a safe loving place where survivors of all ages can begin to heal from child sexual abuse and trauma. The programs are run by carers who are also survivors and therefore understand your pain, confusion, and suffering and can truly walk along side you.

Explore the many ways our court systems fail to protect children's rights; from placing the burden of proof on young children, to deverting attention to battling parents in custody proceedings; from inadequate training to budget constraints. Learn what you can do to help improve the system in your community.

In our discussion, we'll gain insight about what causes people to perpetrate and an understanding of who can be helped and who cannot. In addition, we'll learn about existing treatment programs and how they have impacted the recidivism rate and therefore, the safety of our children.

Each of us has a set of past experiences that impact how we feel about the topic of child sexual abuse. Some people know someone who was abused or they may have been abused themselves. Others may struggle with an attraction to children or the thought of sexualizing a child simply destroys their sense of a safe world. These are experiences and feelings that could create a lot of discomfort. That discomfort could even keep you from seeing abuse happening right in front of you. In addition, children may sense your discomfort and therefore not see you as a trusted adult they can confide in if they do need help.

Child Sexual Abuse is predictable and preventable when we surround children with knowledgeable and outspoken adults and we all play a part in the solution.

Predict: is to declare or indicate in advance; especially to foretell on the basis of observation, experience, or scientific reason.(1)

There are over 39 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America.(2)

From them experts have documented time after time, behavior patterns that appear BEFORE abuse occurs. So, with the right training, we can recognize when children are in danger and put best practices in place to directly reduce the risk of abuse in our homes, neighborhoods and youth serving organizations.

At TAALK, we understand the grooming behaviors that happen BEFORE abuse occurs and have developed this program specifically to combat those behaviors. Although there are no guarantees, this program will take your staff, volunteers, parents and children well beyond awareness and empower all of you with an extensive list of actions that will have a direct impact on the safety of the children in your care.