Grab your capes!
One of the best ways you can prevent child abuse is to use your greatest superpower, your voice. In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, it is time to learn how you can use your voice to help victims of child abuse and their families!
1 in 10 will be a victim of sexual abuse by the age of 18, and 1 in 7 children will be a victim of physical abuse. These numbers are staggering, but we can all help prevent child abuse in our communities.
Check out these four simple steps to how you can use your voice and prevent abuse.
Use your voice.
Your voice is powerful and can be used in so many ways to prevent child abuse. If you suspect abuse is happening, speak up and tell someone who can help end the abuse. Call 911 to report abuse to your local law enforcement agency.
You can also continue the conversation about child abuse prevention. Share prevention tips with your coworkers, family, and friends, gather your workplace for a training, host a fundraiser in honor of a local child advocacy center, or share information on child abuse prevention on social media channels.
Learn the signs of child abuse and share your knowledge with your community.
Ending child abuse, sexual assault, and neglect starts with you. Not all children will show the same signs of abuse but learning the common signs of child abuse can be the difference in a child’s life. Common signs include unexplained injuries, changes in behavior, reverting to childhood behaviors, changes in eating and sleeping habits, changes in school performance and attendance, lack of personal care and hygiene, risky behaviors, inappropriate sexual behaviors, fear or going home, and extreme behaviors.
Learn more about these signs of abuse
Attend a prevention training to continue the conversation.
At Dawson Place we offer several trainings to help prevent abuse in our communities. Sign up for one of our trainings or set up a training for your workplace or community group! Our staff offers Darkness to Light – Stewards of Children training that prepare community members with the tools needed to prevent abuse.
We also offer a FREE 16-week Incredible Years Parenting class. This course gives parents and caretakers important skills to parenting that help keep kids safe.
Learn more about our trainings and workshops
Know what to do when a child discloses abuse.
A crucial moment in ending abuse is the moment after a child discloses abuse to you. This moment can be scary and overwhelming for everyone involved, but it is up to all of us to be prepared in the event a child or young person confides in us about their abuse. It is imperative to stay calm, reassure the child you believe them and that the abuse they have experienced is not okay and not their fault. Be sure to take notes about what they share, but don’t ask too many questions. Immediately report the abuse by calling 911 and make sure the child receives the necessary services to end the abuse and heal.
Learn more about what to do when a child discloses abuse