School-Based Sexual Abuse Prevention Education Programs The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Presented by Rhonda Kane, MA, LPC ESC ECSC Francis Howell School District Ellen Teller, M.Ed., LCSW Executive Director The Child Center, Inc

What is Child Sexual Abuse Prevention? Programs aimed at keeping abuse from occurring Programs aimed at empowering those who may be victimized Programs aimed at empowering those who are protective of children

What's Happening with Child Sexual Abuse Prevention? Community Denial of the problem of sexual abuse Parents do not talk with children about sexual abuse prevention (Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center of Rhode Island) Only 61 % of elementary schools in the US offer some kind of child abuse prevention education (Donnelly) Children of all ages can successfully make use of prevention skills

What Works in CSA Prevention Programs? School-based, child-focused Successful, comprehensive sexual abuse prevention programs need to teach certain skills and utilize specific teaching methods. (Finkelhor and Dziuba- Leatherman). Only 1/3 of all sexual abuse prevention programs appear to meet the criteria for a "comprehensive" approach (Plummer)

Prevention Program “Don’ts” Stranger Danger Good Touch - Bad Touch Don’t focus on only certain “private parts” of the body

Prevention Program Quality Revising existing programs to match current research on child sexual abuse Multi-session programs Annual evaluations to assess the implementation and effectiveness of programs

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

Senate Bill 54 Effective August 28, 2011 Amy Hestir Student Protection Act

Sections & of the Bill Creates the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Erin's Law."

Governor’s Task Force Must make recommendations for reducing child sexual abuse. Must submit a final report with its recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, and State Board of Education by January 1, 2013.

Section By January 1, 2012, each school district must include in its teacher and employee training: a component that provides information on identifying signs of sexual abuse in children of potentially abusive relationships between children and adults

Section con’t. Have an emphasis on mandatory reporting Training must also include an emphasis on the obligation of mandated reporters to report suspected abuse by other mandatory reporters.

Task Force 19 Recommendations: Community Based CSA Prevention (1 – 5) Professional Training/Technical Assistance Multi-disciplinary Team Excellence Mental Health Services and Treatment Awareness – public Funding Statutory Changes

Community-Based CSA Prevention Recommendation #1 Needs to be expanded and comprehensive in nature Children basic/age-appropriate info Boundaries Inappropriate touches Language

Suggestions for Children Bodies are private You have the right to decide about touches NO-GO-TELL-KEEP TELLING Tricks (Secrets, Threats, Bribes) Not your fault

Community-Based CSA Prevention Recommendation #1 Parents Become protective Observe and monitor relationships their children have with adolescents and adults

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

Community-Based CSA Prevention Recommendation #1 Staff/volunteers in youth-serving organizations and schools Assumption that people who sexual abuse children may work for them Create an environment that is inhospitable for this Trained leaders Staff proper education to identify - report

Community-Based CSA Prevention Recommendation #1 Community Community leaders/elected officials – begin the discussion about ending silence about CSA Advocate for policies and training Ultimately this creates cultural norms to form protective barriers – identify and respond to problematic behaviors

Community-Based CSA Prevention Recommendation #2 All schools/youth-serving organizations should have specific CSA prevention policies. Establish boundaries Minimize opportunities for harm Staff education

Community-Based CSA Prevention Recommendation #3 Existing programs should include programming targeted at preventing CSA Most programs discuss only child abuse, not CSA State and federally funded programs could be mandated to address CSA

Community-Based CSA Prevention Recommendation #4 Expand home-visiting programs to include CSA prevention Current home-visitation program in Missouri does not include CSA

Community-Based CSA Prevention Recommendation #5 Create and implement standardized training for all mandated reporters. Professionals Licensing and credentialing organization require specific CEU’s bi-annually Pre-service training MR training, Undergrad and graduate programs Majors/minors

Mandated Reporter Training Dynamics of Child Sexual Abuse Types & Process of Disclosures Child Advocacy Centers Role as Mandated Reporters Signs and Symptoms

Schools/School Districts Parents Addressing concerns Communities Education and awareness Resistance

Community Support Community cooperatives – CAPE All Agency collaborations Community needs assessments Children’s Needs Panel

Funding State Local Foundations Corporate Donors

Next Steps? Questions? Comments? Concerns?

References Finkelhor, David. (2009).0e Prevention of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Future of Children, 19(2). Wurtele, Sandy, School-Based Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs: A Review. Child Abuse & Neglect, 11(4), Wurtele, Sandy, Off Limits Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Manual Missouri Department of Social Services, Children’s Division. (2010). Mandated Reporter Guidelines from Children’s Division.