INTRODUCTION
OUR CHILDREN ARE OFTEN FACED WITH CHOICES THAT AFFECT THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND SAFETY. AS PARENTS,WE CAN DO OUR BEST TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE TO PREPARE OUR CHILDREN TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS. ONE WAY WE DO THIS IS TO TALK WITH OUR CHILDREN. SOME SUBJECTS ARE EASY TO DISCUSS WITH OUR CHILDREN-SPORTS, THEIR GRADES IN SCHOOL,THEIR FRIENDS, AND MANY OTHER FEATURES OF OUR DAILY LIVES. OTHER THINGS ARE MORE DIFFICULT FOR US TO DISCUSS, INCLUDING CHILD ABUSE-ESPECIALLY CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
ALTHOUGH DISCUSSING CHILD ABUSE WITH YOUR CHILDREN MAY BE DIFFICULY FOR YOU,IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP PARENTS CAN TAKE TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM ABUSE IS TO HAVE OPEN COMMUN- ICATION IN THEIR HOME. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS TALK TO THEM ABOUT PREVENTING ABUSE ARE MORE EFFECTIVE AT FENDING OFF ASSAULTS. YOUR ROLE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
MORE THAN THREE MILLION REPORTS OF CHILD ABUSE ARE RECEIVED EACH YEAR,INCLUDING HALF A MILLION REPORTS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE. AS A MAJOR YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATION,THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA HAS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PROTECT THE YOUTH OF OUR NATION. THE BOOK- LET SHOWN ABOVE IS DESIGNED TO GIVE YOU ESSENTIAL INFORMATION THAT SHOULD HELP YOU TEACH YOUR CHILDREN HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
IF YOUR SON IS A NEW BOY SCOUT,THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU WILL SEE THIS PARENT'S GUILDE. THIS BOOKLET IS FOUND IN THE FRONT OF ALL BOY SCOUT HAND BOOHS. IF YOU HAVE OTHER SONS IN SCOUTING,OR IF YOUR SON HAS ADVANCED IN BOY SCOUTING,WE HOPE THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS GUIDE AND HAVE DISCUSSED ITS CONTENTS WITH YOUR CHILDREN. IN EITHER CASE,WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THEIR INFORMATION PART OF A CONTINUING AFFORT THAT REINFORCES THE CONCEPTS INCLUDED IN THIS GUIDE.
WE DO NOT EXPECT THAT YOUR SON WILL BECOME A VICTIM OF CHILD ABUSE. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT,HOWEVER,THAT IF HE IS EVER CONFRONTED WITH AN ABUSIVE SITUATION, HE WILL KNOW THAT THERE ARE ADULTS IN HIS LIFE WHO WILL LISTEN AND RESPOND IN A SUPPORTIVE MANNER. THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOKLET IS TO HELP YOU AND YOUR SON WHEN IN SCOUTING OR IF YOU JUST HAVE A COPY OF THE BOOKLET,TO ESTABLISH,OR REINFORCE,OPEN COMMUNICATION ON THIS SENSITIVE TOPIC.
THE THREE R'S
RECOGNIZE STRATEGIES AND SITUATIONS USED BY A CHILD MOLESTERS THAT
PLACE YOU AT RISK. REMEMBER,A CHILD MOLESTER CAN BE ANY-
ONE.
RESIST ATTEMPTS OF CHILD MOLESTERS SINCE FEW RESORT TO FORCE.
RESISTANCE WILL STOP MOST ATTEMPTS AT MOLESTATION.
REPORT INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTEMPT TO MOLEST YOU TO YOUR PARENTS OR
OTHER TRUSTED ADULTS. THIS HELPS PROTECT OTHER YOUNG
PEOPLE AND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MOLESTER TO
GET HELP.
CHILD ABUSE NEGLECTING A CHILDS NEEDS
PHYSICAL ABUSE
EMOTIONAL ABUSE
SEXUAL ABUSE
SEXUAL ABUSE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE OCCURS TO AS MANY AS 25% OF GIRLS
AND 14% OF BOYS BEFORE THEY REACH 18 YEARS OF AGE.
BOYS AND GIRLS COULD BE SEXUALLY ABUSED AT ANY AGE;
HOWEVER,MOST SEXUAL ABUSE OCCURS BETWEEN THE AGE OF
7 YEARS OLD TO 13 YEARS OF AGE.
CHILDREN ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE MOLESTED BY SOMEONE THEY
KNOW AND TRUST.
80 TO 90 PERCENT OF SEXUALLY ABUSED BOYS ARE MOLESTED
BY ACQUAINTANCES WHO ARE NONFAMILY MEMBERS,BUT COULD
BE KNOWN TO THE FAMILY.
FEMALES PERFORM 20% OF THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF BOYS UNDER
THE AGE OF 14 (PREPUBESCENTS)
FEW SEXUALLY ABUSED CHILDREN TELL ANYONE THAT THEY HAVE
BEEN ABUSED. CHILDREN ARE USUALLY TOLD TO KEEP THE ABUSE
SECRET BY THE ABUSER. THIS COULD INVOLVE THREATS,BRIBES,
OR PHYSICAL FORCE TO THE ABUSED CHILD.
CHILDREN MIGHT FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABUSE AND FEAR
AN ANGRY REACTION FROM THEIR PARENTS IF THEY TELL ABOUT
SOME TYPES OF ABUSE.
IF YOU FEEL OR KNOW OF A ABUSED CHILD OR OLDER ADULT, REPORT IT.
IT WILL BE LOOKED INTO AND YOUR NAME WILL NOT BE USED.
IF IT HAPPENS IN THE BOY SCOUTS,REPORT IT TO YOUR SCOUT EXECUTIVE AT
YOUR DISTRICT BSA OFFICE. THE SCOUT EXECUTIVE IS ABLE TO REACH THE
PERSONS NEEDED AT ALL TIMES DAY OR NIGHT.
THE NEXT TIME EVERYDAY PRESSURES BUILD UP TO THE POINT WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE LASHING OUT-STOP!TRY ANY OF THESE SIMPLE ALTERNATIVE. YOU'LL FELL BETTER...AND SO WILLYOUR CHILD; * TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND THEN ANOTHER. THEN REMEMBER YOU ARE THE ADULT. * CLOSE YOUR EYES AND IMAGINE YOU'RE HEARING WHAT YOUR CHILD IS ABOUT TO HEAR. * PRESS YOUR LIPS TOGATHER AND COUNT TO TEN,OR EVEN BETTER COUNT TO TWENTY. * PUT YOUR CHILD INTO A TIME-OUT CHAIR. (REMEMBER THIS RULE: ONE TIME-OUT MINUTE FOR EACH YEAR OF AGE.) * PUT YOURSELF INTO A TIME-OUT CHAIR. THINK ABOUT WHY YOU ARE ANGRY;IS IT YOUR CHILD,OR IS IT YOUR CHILD SIMPLY A CONVENIENTY TARGET FOR YOUR ANGER? * PHONE A FRIEND. * IF THERE IS SOMEONE THAT CAN WATCH YOUR CHILDREN,GO OUTSIDE AND TAKE A WALK. * SPLASH SOME COLD WATER ON YOUR FACE. * HUG A PILLOW. * TURN ON SOME MUSIC, MAYBE EVEN SING ALONG. * PICK UP A PENCIL AND WRITE DOWN AS MENY HELPFUL WORDS AS YOU CAN THINK OF. SAVE THE LIST. FEW PARENTS MEAN TO ABUSE THEIR CHILDREN. WHEN PARENTS TAKE TIME OUT TO GET CONTROL OF THEMSELVES BEFORE THEY GRAB HOLD OF THEIR CHILDREN, EVERYBODY WINS.