School-Based Sexual Abuse
Prevention Education Programs
The Good,
The Bad,
and
The Ugly
Presented by
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Rhonda Kane, MA, LPC
ESC ECSC
Francis Howell School District
Ellen Teller, M.Ed., LCSW
Executive Director
The Child Center, Inc.
636-332-0899
What is Child Sexual Abuse
Prevention?
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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?
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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)
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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?
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School-based, child-focused
Successful, comprehensive sexual
abuse prevention programs need to
teach certain skills and utilize specific
teaching methods. (Finkelhor and DziubaLeatherman).
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Only 1/3 of all sexual abuse prevention
programs appear to meet the criteria
for a "comprehensive" approach (Plummer)
Prevention Program “Don’ts”
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Stranger Danger
Good Touch - Bad Touch
Don’t focus on only certain “private
parts” of the body
Prevention Program Quality
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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
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Multiple sessions
Training teachers
Evaluation of programs
Increase parent involvement
Use a variety of approaches
Stable funding source(s)
Senate Bill 54
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Effective August 28, 2011
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Amy Hestir Student Protection Act
Sections 160.2100
& 160.2110 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
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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 162.069
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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 162.069 con’t.
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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
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19 Recommendations:
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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
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Children
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basic/age-appropriate info
Boundaries
Inappropriate touches
Language
Suggestions for Children
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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
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Parents
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Become protective
Observe and monitor relationships their
children have with adolescents and adults
Suggestions for Parents
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Don’t force unwanted affection
Listen to your gut instincts
Know your child’s world
Community-Based CSA Prevention
Recommendation #1
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Staff/volunteers in youth-serving
organizations and schools
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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
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Community
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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
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All schools/youth-serving organizations
should have specific CSA prevention
policies.
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Establish boundaries
Minimize opportunities for harm
Staff education
Community-Based CSA Prevention
Recommendation #3
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Existing programs should include
programming targeted at preventing
CSA
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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
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Expand home-visiting programs to
include CSA prevention
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Current home-visitation program in
Missouri does not include CSA
Community-Based CSA Prevention
Recommendation #5
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Create and implement standardized
training for all mandated reporters.
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Professionals
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Licensing and credentialing organization require
specific CEU’s bi-annually
Pre-service training
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MR training,
Undergrad and graduate programs
Majors/minors
Mandated Reporter
Training
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Dynamics of Child Sexual Abuse
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Types & Process of Disclosures
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Child Advocacy Centers
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Role as Mandated Reporters
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Signs and Symptoms
Resistance
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Schools/School Districts
Parents
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Addressing concerns
Communities
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Education and awareness
Community Support
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Community cooperatives – CAPE
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All Agency collaborations
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Community needs assessments
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Children’s Needs Panel
Funding
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State
Local
Foundations
Corporate
Donors
Next Steps?
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Questions?
Comments?
Concerns?
References
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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), 483-95.
Wurtele, Sandy, Off Limits
Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Manual
Missouri Department of Social Services, Children’s
Division. (2010). Mandated Reporter Guidelines from
Children’s Division.